Small Biz Spotlight: Laurel Grove, 'The Place Mommy Goes to Get Happy'

Kim Urquhart decided to pack in the big corporate job she had in the pharmaceutical industry to pursue her dream.

Passionate about “helping people create homes they love,”Laurel Grove is a home decor store that features everything from place settings to frames to furniture to holiday decorations.

Laurel Grove is located at 593 Boston Post Road in Sudbury.

When did you open/launch? We opened Oct. 7, 2015

What made you decide to open this type of business? And why this location? I have been dreaming about having my own brick and mortar location for years. Since we moved to Sudbury two years ago (to the day), I had been admiring the old Bartletts’ farmstand as the perfect location for my dream business. Over that time, Laura Bartlett and I stayed in touch about the possibility of me renting it, and finally, the time was right for both of us.

What do you like best about it? I love my customers. The smiles that people have when they walk into our shop are priceless. People have told me that their kids call the shop “the place mommy goes to get happy.” That honestly warms my heart. I want to be able to provide affordable, quality options for people to enhance their home and genuinely love the place where they are raising their family. I also love being a part of the fabric of such a special community and town. We have really tried to get involved with local organizations and other small businesses as much as possible such as the Sudbury Historical Society, Smile Mass, GetLocalMA, Sudbury Family Network etc.

Biggest struggle? Currently our biggest struggle is getting our name out and letting people know we are there. We are in the town approval process for signage, so we hope that will help! I will say, though, that people have been excited to spread the word and share their “new find” with friends, which we are so grateful for.

What do you see for the future? I hope to continue to be actively involved in town and community organizations and contribute to the growth and encouragement of more small businesses choosing Sudbury as a location.

Politics and small business: how does government affect your business? As of now, our biggest interaction with government has just been the Design Review Board for our signage. So far, government impact on our business has been minimal.

Know a small business that deserves the spotlight? Tell us about it at charlene.arsenault@patch.com.