Froglevel leaps into business world

With the economy in poor shape, it’s not the best time to open a business, but that hasn’t stopped Tim Nichols from opening The House on Main, nor has it deterred Kathy Wyatt from opening her interior decorating store Froglevel.
As a matter of fact, the downturn is one of the inspirations behind Wyatt’s choice.
According to Wyatt, Froglevel is a store that is catering to the people who are most affected by the economy.
“My goal is to have prices that a normal working lady can afford,” she said.
While Wyatt’s goods are by no means cheap (she carries Zenal Moon candles, the same ones Oprah Winfrey swears by), they are definitely inexpensive.
The trick, Wyatt said, is in the markup. While most stores will put huge markups on such luxury items as designer furniture and jewelry, Wyatt is resisting the call of big money.
Wyatt said she’s already had a good stable of local shoppers coming in, and she’s also had shoppers pass through from Wytheville, Bristol and Johnson City, Tenn.
In addition to peddling her wares, Wyatt is a certified interior decorator with 22 years of experience. She plans to offer in-home consulting and decorating along with her goods. On top of that, her husband, Irv, is an interior and exterior painter and wallpaper dealer and will be working with her on her consultations.
“We’re offering a turnkey job,” she said. “Inside and out. We’re a team together.”
Soon, Wyatt hopes to offer her own custom line of furniture, designed by her and built by a friend.