Meet Your Merchant: Luxuries await shoppers at Home Treasures

Susie Messina admits her gift boutique in the Carson Mall is all about the wants, not the needs.

Home Treasures, which Messina, 54, co-owns with Dawn Henderson, 48, is the sort of store that is filled with knickknacks that may decorate a living room, such as polar bear statues, or compliment an outfit, such as scarves or jewelry.

"That's kind of us, we're home decor, we're gifts for you and your home," said Messina, who jokes about buying a bench for the store and calling it the "husband waiting area."

"It's all about want," she said.

Messina and Henderson, are two of the newest tenants in the Carson Mall, opened their store on Sunday.

Home Treasures will stage a book signing Sunday with author and illustrator Andi Green, who writes the Worry Woos series of children books that are accompanied by stuffed toys featuring the series' characters: monsters.

The decision to move Home Treasure to the Carson Mall came with the hopes that more people would stroll by the store and take a look inside, Messina said.

Five years ago, Messina and Henderson opened their first store in the Topsy Lane shopping center. A year ago they decided to close that shop and open their business in the Carson Valley Inn gift shop.

"We had a great following ... but you know what, it was a tough center," Messina said of the Topsy Lane location. "No foot traffic."

Now with their new store, located across from the Christmas Store in the Carson Mall, Messina and her partner are hoping for more people to walk in and look around. They still operate the gift shop inside the Carson Valley Inn.

On their first day of business, the Carson Mall held a wedding expo, which helped drive foot traffic.

Messina said it was a good start.

"A lot of people, even though they know the mall is here, they haven't been in here in years," Messina said.