Carmi Woman Expands Her Business

The Carmi Times:

Robin Nichols, a rural Carmi wife, mother and businesswoman, expanded her business recently into a building at 307 W. Kerney St. in Carmi after the business experienced dramatic growth over the last two years by offering a wide range of embroidery, silk-screen and sign services.

The former Robin Miller grew up the daughter of a schoolteacher, graduating from Enfield High School in 1980. She went on to earn a college degree and worked for a while for a small cruise line before becoming a stay-at-home mom after she and Gary “Dink” Nichols got married and started a family.

Robin said she wanted to do something in which the whole family could participate. Dink was selling real estate part-time and she wanted her own part-time business to involve the kids, Sawyer and Haley. She bought out Custom Embroidery & Monogram, a Grayville-based business owned by Micah Groff.

Robin moved the business’ sewing machines and other equipment into the family’s home a couple of miles north of Carmi. Word of the business spread quickly by word of mouth and she was soon needing to expand. Sawyer went off to a culinary arts program at Rend Lake College and Haley is an active 16-year-old, so the idea of family help and involvement became overwhelmed by an increasing customer base. Dink still helps out with the bookkeeping but the parade of customers in and out of the home, which had to be entered via steps near a pool deck, seemed too much to ask of the customers.

“It was more convenient for me to be at home,” she said. “But I thought moving the business into town would be more convenient for the customers.”