A lot of our customers come in to do that. I'm not at all offended that they just come in to do that.
So why the name Mantras?
Ever since I was really little, I would cut out nice, uplifting words or phrases.
I kept them in my wallet and pulled them out just when I needed a boost in life.
And now you hope to give others a boost?
I
do, yeah. I don't think you can come into an environment where you can see "Be happy," "Balance" and "Simplify your life" and not leave just a little bit happier.
What did you do before opening the store five years ago?
I worked in a law firm.
So you needed harmony and peace yourself, right?
(She laughs.) I guess I did. I loved what I was doing, (but) I thought: I'm almost 50. If not now, when?
Some people come in and ask for the owner, expecting her to be much younger. Do you think that owning such a
place in your 50s gives people older than 20 permission to enjoy this type of stuff?
It does. It's OK to be enlightened the last half of your life.
-- Kristy Eckert keckert@dispatch.com
