|
Pint-size entrepreneur opening second store at plaza
By LESTER R. DAILEY
| Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007 |
|
 |
 |
|
![[Image]](/content_images/082907_cit-04.jpg) |
|
| She’s only 7, but Julianna Lazzari heads a corporation already. Of course, she gets advice from Dad, but she’s the legal head of the company. |
|
|
CLEARWATER – Most 7-year-olds would be happy to get a new toy. But Julianna Lazzari is getting a whole new toy store.
The Palm Harbor second-grader with her hair in pigtails is the owner and president of 9650, LLC, a corporation with a dozen staffers, $250,000 in annual sales and a successful toy store in the Westchase at West Park section of Tampa.
On Sept. 15, she will open her second Julianna’s Fun Shoppe, in Kohl’s Plaza, across from Countryside Mall in Clearwater.
“This is going to be a 5-store company within 24 months,” predicted the CEO’s father, Tampa businessman Chad Lazzari, who greatly assists his boss.
Julianna didn’t have to raid her piggy bank to finance the new store; a $120,000 gift from Dad helped. But that doesn’t mean that she is just a figurehead in a company that is actually owned and operated by her parents.
“The idea of the store was hers.” Chad said. “She started collecting the product when she was 3 years old and she said ‘I’d like to have my own Hello Kitty store some day,’ so we made it her company. She’s the legal president and her name is on both stores. Her ownership is solid, but until she turns 18 she will not be listed on the state's registration for business tax purposes.”
The Countryside store will have the largest selection of Hello Kitty products in Florida. In addition, it will carry Webkinz products, craft and cooking kits, toys for young boys and lots of other kid stuff. The grand opening will feature a coloring contest with prizes for the winners, and a visit from the Hello Kitty character herself.
Julianna will be at the Countryside store two Saturdays per month.
“It’s fun,” she said. “I like putting the toys in the bags for the customers and coloring with the kids when they come in.”
Therefore, each store has a coloring table and chairs, with lots of crayons and 10 different coloring sheets.
Being a budding Martha Stewart hasn’t stopped Julianna from being a normal kid and a good student in the gifted program at Lake St. George Elementary School in Palm Harbor. Her teacher, Tracie Lynch, has visited the store and approves.
“Mrs. Lynch said she was happy when she came to the store and liked it and saw my picture,” Julianna said. “My best friend Logan (Sapp) and me like to play in the store with each other.”
Julianna’s mother is from China and the family has a home there, which they visit every year. But 60 percent of the company’s products are bought from a Japanese firm with its U.S. headquarters in San Francisco. The rest are American products or imports from other countries, including China, but the company has not been affected by the recent recall of Chinese toys with lead paint.
When not doing schoolwork or making money in the retail business, Julianna enjoys art and ballet.
“I want to be an art teacher when I grow up and work in the toy stores,” she said.
|
Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved. |
