By Margo Greenman
Moms wear many hats. They’re caretakers, teachers, friends, and, in the case of Debra Secor, entrepreneurs.
Debra is a mother to her daughter Nikki Brook, but she’s also Nikki’s business partner. The mother-daughter duo opened Mood, a mid-century-inspired furniture store in Gig Harbor, earlier this year.
The two make a great team, but history may have played a role in that.
Debra and Nikki come from a long line of local business owners. “My grandfather was the mayor of Gig Harbor in the 1960s,” says Debra. “But before that, he and my grandmother opened Minterbrook Oyster Farm. They also started Gig Harbor’s first bus line.”
Debra says for her, opening a business was about reigniting the entrepreneurial spirit she grew up with. “We’re carrying that tradition on with Mood,” she says.
It was also a chance to do something fun. Debra, who recently retired from a 40-year nursing career, was ready for something different.
The mother and daughter team knew they wanted to go into business together before they knew what kind of business they wanted to have, but it didn’t take long for the two to figure that out.
As an artist and former private school teacher, art and aesthetics have always come naturally to Nikki. The San Jose State grad has always been drawn to that which pleases the eye, and there’s nothing quite as pleasing as the timeless furniture and decor style that emerged during the mid 20th century.
“We wanted to bring something new to Gig Harbor,” explains Debra. “There was no business quite like this.”
Furniture, Art and More
From the sights, smells and sounds, walking through Mood’s entrance is a sensory-triggering experience.
Every corner features a stunning work of art fit for anyone with a refined taste in style or appreciation of timeless decor. From mid-century modern furniture to clean and simple accents, Mood’s selection of home goods is handpicked, intentional and undeniably tasteful.
And the quality that exists behind every item in the store is evident at first glance.
“Everything in here is focused on quality,” says Nikki. “We aim for vintage mid-century pieces and have incorporated some reproductions of mid-century and contemporary.” From Mood’s line of 100-percent soy candles to the one-of-a-kind furniture originals it boasts throughout the store, every item available for sale is backed by quality.
Close to the Community
With Debra and Nikki’s roots in the business community and their commitment to selling quality items in their Gig Harbor store, it’s no surprise that Mood has been received as well as it has — and not just by customers.
“We’ve had so much support,” shares Debra. “It’s hard to even describe how loving and wonderful everyone has been. Things have kind of moved along in such a natural fashion, like a trail of crumbs just leading us along.”
Debra and Nikki have established close relationships with local business owners. Debra says this is good for Mood and the other businesses the store is close with.
“Gig Harbor Audio has our couch in their showroom,” says Debra. “They brought us speakers that are hand-wrapped in teak.” By supporting each other, each business benefits. “We’re cross-pollinating with other business.”
Experiential Space
From customers to business owners to the community at large, one of the things Nikki and Debra wanted to accomplish with Mood was creating a space where people could gather, visit and learn.
In order to achieve this goal, Nikki and Debra decided they would host classes, which they currently do about once a month.
From hands-on classes about how to upcycle old furniture, concoct festive cocktails, paint a work of art and more, Mood is an experiential hub for all things home and art. “It’s a place where people can come and see beautiful things and also participate in creating beautiful things,” says Nikki.
Interested in seeing — or creating — something beautiful? Mood is open Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. To learn more and take a virtual tour of the store, follow Mood on Facebook.