Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Hickman.
Hi Nikki, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Serendipity Gifts began in 2013 when I was a stay-at-home mom looking for a creative outlet. I have always loved the classic look of embroidery, especially monograms. As an ’80s child, preppy style and monograms have always felt timeless to me. I bought an embroidery machine, created my own products, and built a website!
That website led to my first retail opportunity when a local vendor marketplace in St. Charles found my work and invited me to join them. Then, I opened my own marketplace in Kimmswick, Missouri. Kimmswick was close to home, and I felt the store filled a need in the community. We had my embroidered designs along with products from other local makers.
After three years in Kimmswick, I started thinking more about what I wanted Serendipity to become. In 2016, I moved the business to Historic Main Street in St. Charles, a town I had always loved. That move was when Serendipity began growing into the women’s boutique and gift shop it is today. We kept vendors whose products fit our direction and added more women’s apparel, accessories, and brands such as Simply Southern.
In 2023, my husband’s job relocated us to Savannah, Georgia, and I opened Serendipity there. Georgia loved the bright colors, classic patterns, and preppy style that have always been part of the store, but St. Louis was still home. When an opportunity came for us to move back, we jumped at it. I immediately began looking for a space on Main Street and learned that, unbelievably, my former storefront was becoming available again. Between the job opening, our house selling quickly, and the exact same location opening at the right time, I truly believe God had a plan for bringing us home.
Today, Serendipity Gifts is back on Historic Main Street in St. Charles, Missouri, where customers can shop with us in store or online. We offer women’s apparel, Simply Southern favorites, accessories, and gifts that just make people smile. A lot has changed since that first embroidery machine, but I still love walking into the store every day and seeing it filled with things I genuinely love.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think all small businesses face challenges. The biggest one for us was when we relocated to Georgia in 2023. Closing our St. Charles store was really difficult. We had spent years building relationships with our customers and becoming part of the Historic Main Street community, and suddenly we were opening in a new town, where very few people knew Serendipity.
Fortunately or unfortunately, we have some experience starting over. Serendipity began in Kimmswick, moved to St. Charles in 2016, and then moved across the street in 2018 when the building we leased was sold. We have become pretty good at moving a business, even though it is not a skill we ever wanted to master!
Opening in Georgia was a challenge because we were building awareness from the ground up in a completely new market. It took time to show people who we were and what made Serendipity special.
Through every move, our customers have been the reason we keep going. A small business only survives because people choose to support it, recommend it, and come back. Their support gave us the perseverance to keep moving forward and eventually bring Serendipity home to St. Charles.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Serendipity Gifts?
Serendipity Gifts is a women’s boutique and gift shop on Historic Main Street in St. Charles, Missouri. We are known for carrying Simply Southern, along with cute, comfortable women’s apparel, pajamas, accessories, and more.
We love all things colorful, casual, and a little preppy. We like things that look cute but are still easy to wear, easy to gift, and easy to say yes to. Nothing is too serious or too fancy. It is the kind of store where you might come in looking for a gift for someone, and leave with the perfect present, a funny tee, and a pair of pajamas for yourself.
What sets us apart is what we carry and how we believe a boutique should feel. Every product we chose for the store has to fit our colorful, preppy vibe. You’re much more likely to find something hot pink and gingham in here than beige. We also believe boutiques should be friendly, comfortable places to shop and that finding something special should not mean spending a fortune. You can find something adorable and personal without sticker shock.
What I am most proud of is that Serendipity has been in business for 13 years and is still learning, growing, and changing along the way. Through all the different chapters, I hope we have brought a little joy to the people who have walked through our doors.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I have never had one formal mentor who guided me through every stage of our business. What has helped me most is building relationships with other small business owners, vendors, and people in the communities where Serendipity has been located. There is always something to learn!
The relationships I built with neighboring businesses on Historic Main Street are a great example. When I knew we were moving back to St. Louis, I contacted some of my former business neighbors to ask what they were hearing about available storefronts. That is how I learned my old location was becoming available. To me, that is networking at its best.
There is also a lot of great support for small business owners online through classes, Facebook groups, and other communities where people share what has worked for them. I have learned a lot that way, and I also really enjoy helping people who are just starting out. I believe in helping others along their journey, because none of us builds a business on our own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://serendipity-gifts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serendipitygiftsga/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serendipitygiftsGA
