Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Rossignuolo.
Jenny, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I opened urban source with my former co-worker Rose Tejeda in 2005 after seeing a gap in the market. Hailing from Australia and having worked in London, I realized there were very few places that homeowners could go to at a retail level if they wanted some of the cool products that Rose and I had access to in our library at work (namely, awesome wall coverings and fabrics that weren’t traditional).
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No! We opened our doors in early 2005 and were really hitting our stride for the first few years and getting established. We then decided to expand as we were so short on space. The building across the street from us came on the market and so we decided to purchase it and relocate. We became landlords at the same time but unfortunately, our timing was not so great – we closed on the property late 2008, right about when we first felt the effects of the recession!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The wallpaper and fabric collections have grown to include an always-something-new range of independent studios from around the world. We also added additional products such as custom window treatments, pillows, bedding and upholstery services, as well as full scope design services for those needing extra help.
We realized very early on that although we were essentially acting as the middleman between the public and the to-the-trade showrooms, we could also offer something valuable to the design community: an edited selection of materials that they can quickly filter through, which in turn means that they can be more efficient on their design projects. Today, about 40% of our business is to the trade.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been creative – loved art, drama, sewing, etc… but also had a love of languages (studies French and Italian) as well as math. From an early age, I also LOVED puzzles and playing with Legos. Personality-wise, I would say I was quiet but friendly, enjoyed spending time with friends and have always loved helping people.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1429 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
- Website: www.urbansourcechicago.com
- Phone: 312-455-0505
- Email: info@urbansourcechicago.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbansourcechicago/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbansourcechicago/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/urbansourcechi
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/urban-source-chicago
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/urbansource
Image Credit:
Jeff Johnson – Rebirth Photo
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