Those who know Cathy Fry as the vibrant and trendy owner of Festoon, a North Duke Street clothing and home décor store, might be surprised to learn that her entrepreneurial success has its roots in something a little more subtle:
celery.
To be fair, those humble beginnings were over 60 years ago.
“When I was very young, I learned to work hard,” recalls Fry, 71. “I had my own business at 9 o’clock.”
This business was loading baskets of celery at a celery farm in Kreider and selling it along a road in her neighborhood.
“I just had that desire to be an entrepreneur ever since.”
Fry’s journey from celery peddler to boutique owner has been filled with hard work, a bit of serendipity, and a vow not to let fear get in the way of the next opportunity.
“I have a burning desire to do whatever I do with all my heart,” she says. “It has worked well for me.”
After attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Frye got her first opportunity with Hager’s Department Store, doing fashion illustrations that appeared in Lancaster newspapers.
Later, she was answering an advertisement for a delivery job at Marietta’s florist, an opportunity she would soon take on another path of artistic expression: training with well-known floral designers.
“The flower shop was put up for sale and I went to the bank, they saw my insistence and they loaned me money,” she says.
Cathy has owned Flower Works for 18 years.
“Between my flower shop and the next part of my life, I said out loud, ‘If I ever open another business, I’ll call it Festoon.'” The word is festive. He describes a festive wreath, sometimes seen as a hand-carved architectural feature above a window Or a door, she says, “It seems appropriate.”
In 2004, that opportunity came, ironically, in the former Hager store building where she began her life. By that time, the building was home to condominiums, a restaurant, and boutique-style shops. When her lease expired eight years ago, she moved into her current home in a spacious former firehouse in North Duke.
The festive store is an eclectic mix of everything from clothing and accessories to books, candles and home décor, most of which are locally made, including Frey’s own clothing line, Selga, which it launched in 2017.
“I’ve always been in the world of color and fashion and design. It was just a really cool evolution of who I am and my creativity,” says Fry. “Here I am living my dream and being part of a great business community here in Lancaster. One thing always leads to another.”
Fashion is another form of artistic expression, and for Frey, this was also an evolution of sorts. There were times in her life, she says, that her career dictated a certain look, but these days she takes on fashion as she does the rest of her life — without fear.
“I personally developed into the person I am now just by realizing that it’s all about your body language, it’s all about how you carry yourself, it’s all about your self-confidence and finding a way to love yourself no matter what,” he says. “It allows me to be exactly who I am. I have always been a free spirit and now I have come back to that wonderful way of believing in myself.”
Fry describes herself as a believing woman and says the belief system helped her not only succeed but also develop confidence in being herself. She also stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people and says she will never dissuade someone from expressing who they are through what they wear.
Fry believes that discovering who you are through the art of dressing has no limits – no matter your age. There is nothing to do or avoid in fashion just because a person is over 50, 60 or 70.
“I really think whatever makes you look good in the mirror is what you should be wearing,” says Fry, who describes her favorite style as boho-chic. “If someone really feels like they want to wear a bikini at the age of 80, I encourage it. … I’m wearing bib overalls. I find myself now more than ever. It’s just about being happy looking in the mirror.”
