Positively Inspirational: Round Top’s Leslie Kristen
In this monthly series, local realtor Andrea Schutter Riebeling does a Q & A with local business leaders about what inspires them. This month’s interview is with Leslie Kristen of Round Top.
1.) What is your business?
Leslie Kristen, Round Top Texas – Home furnishings, accessories, Apparel, boots lifestyles, current goods and vintage goods.
2.) How did you get started? I started in the interior design industry at 16 years when my dad told me I had to get a job to help pay for my extracurricular activities. I got a job as the “shop girl” at an interior design studio at the end of our street where we lived for 50 years in my family home. I stayed with the design firm for 18 years, through high school and college and design school. I wanted to be a FFA Advisor but my artistic genes were against me, I couldn’t grasp the math and science curriculum. After getting an AA in agriculture education I transferred to design school and two years later graduated with my interior design degree.
3.) How long have you been in business?
I opened my interior design studio, Leslie Kristen Interiors, at 29 years old, I am currently 56. My business is still running and thriving is Southern California, I manage the company from Texas and work on 1 large projects a year. I have one employee who is my senior designer for the firm in California and she has been with my firm for 18 years.
4.) Is this a family or Female business?
Female owned and operated, in a “pinch” my husband will watch my Round Top store for me, and let me tell you the ladies love him. He is always making cocktails and having fun with customers. Gosh bless him he is a gem and a keeper.
5.) What kind of service
do you provide?
My Round Top store is full service home furnishings and apparel and I offer design service. I really don’t advertise it, I just love curating for my store, setting up the displays and making pretty for my customers. I love meeting new people and hearing where they come from and “why they picked Round Top to visit.” Everything in the store is curated by myself, and I only bring in merchandise that I would use in my lifestyle or wear. At the prime age of 56 I believe it’s important to do what you want to and not really what everyone wants, the store is completely “my style” and I adore everything I have for sale. Sometimes it’s hard for me to see the antique and one of a kind vintage go out the door, but that’s the thrill of the business, seeing someone else love and their joy they find in what I have hand selected. You can always count on a yummy treat or sample at the counter, offerings of a libation, 80s country music blaring from Alexa, tips on all things Round Top. Right now the big thing that is so popular in the store is my hand made “candy Salad” it’s my own secret concoction, they swarm for not just customers, locals also.
6.) Tell me something unique about your business?
My store building is in the heart of Round Top Proper and is in a very old 1800s home, the wood floor squeaks and some areas you can see the dirt below. We have a Rolland Square cat and her name is Tipper, she is loved by many locals and customers. I inherited her when I opened my store in Rolland Square, she eats and sleeps on my porch, she is a tiny black and white, she has been a stray at the store for 10 years now and has been through I believe three owners with me being the third.
7.) What is your background?
Born and raised in Orange County, CA., by two artist parents. I lived in the same home our entire 50 years in my home town of Fullerton, CA. I was raised in a traditional Italian family with first generation grandparents in a 1920 Spanish home with a giant basement below that was my parents’ art studio. They would work late nights on projects in the basement, my older sister and I grew up around it and learned it through osmosis, late nights wrapped in old blankets sleeping on the art studio floor with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis or the Nelson Riddle band playing in the background, great childhood and life.
As I grew older my love for Agriculture grew strong through 4H and the FFA. My job was to Educate the public on Agriculture in California.
8.) What do you suggest to others who want to venture out and take a leap of action in the future of their career?
I have one and only one piece of advice: “Do what you love, don’t worry about the money, the money will come, if you are happy and stress free. You will soar when you are happy and your heart is whole”
9.) Do you believe in college, trade school, or any training?
I believe in some sort of education to further in your chosen career, whether an internship, mentorship, or a four year degree. It’s important to learn a trade and know the ins and outs, definitely helps with making less mistakes.
10.) How did you decide to make Round Top your home?
Texas was always my dream state, and I told myself I would live here someday. When COVID hit I was shocked and sad and honestly so disappointed in our world. I told my husband we were selling my childhood home and moving the lock stock and barrel to the dry hot soil of Texas. It was time, I wasn’t waiting until retirement, as this was a big move and change and we needed our semi- youth. It was hard to sell my beloved childhood home, leave my sister and only offspring, sons, my nephew.
It was a dream of mine to keep our old Spanish house in the family, but Life happens and it’s too short not to be happy. I knew of Round Top from my years in the design industry and knew I needed to be in a creative environment and definitely away from crowds and city life. It’s been hard on my husband but he is better now. It was touch and go at first and slowly he has come around to country life. For me it felt like “home” immediately, I was home and I have my sheep again and my sweet dog Tex running free on our acres, a dream come true. We brought my 84 year old mom with us, Tweet as she is known, she lives in her own tiny home on our acres. I have imagined for over 20 years living the ranch lifestyle with a long tree lined driveway and with a small store.
I think I hit the jackpot!