Making it Personal at Distinct Impressions
Nookie in front of the embroidery machines. By Jessie Butner
In the heart of downtown South Boston, there is a place where handshakes still matter, your name and tastes are remembered, and your vision can be brought to life. It is a place where every occasion is made extra special, quality can be expected, and clients come first. That place is called Distinct Impressions, Inc.
Initial Impressions
Distinct Impressions is not merely a business, but an experience. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by beautifully curated and charming displays of seasonal home decor and fine apparel, an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness, the aromas of select scented candles, the pleasant melodies of pop country tunes, and, perhaps, the faint humming of embroidery machines. What the average first-time visitor may not realize is that beyond the endearing boutique, there is another side to Distinct Impressions: a screen printing and embroidery operation. Indeed, Distinct Impressions is one enterprise with two separate aspects. This arrangement is, interestingly, reflective of the owners and operators themselves.
Nookie and Rhonda Green, husband and wife for 43 years, have also been business partners for over two decades. Nookie left his job in trackside sales and manufacturing for NASCAR-licensed merchandise in order to open his own screen printing business in 1998, which enabled him to spend more time with his family. Once Distinct Impressions moved to its current location, Rhonda began to use part of the retail space to sell sterling silver jewelry and a few other items. As time went on, Rhonda became further invested in the storefront, and started offering additional merchandise and taking up more of the space Nookie had originally planned to display sample products. “I pushed him out,” Rhonda joked. Eventually, the gift shop portion of Distinct Impressions took on a life of its own, and the next-door building had to be purchased to accommodate both ventures. For many years, Rhonda worked for Aquatic Bathware while also running the Distinct Impressions store. Now, she is able to dedicate herself full time to her passion. Like Rhonda, the shop is vivacious, colorful, and larger-than-life. Nookie, more comfortable working in his back office, prefers to let his impressive products and outstanding service do the talking for him. “We have a little niche, both with what I do on the printing side, and what she has on her retail side. It’s a good combination,” he said.
A Twofold Team
During the last 26 years, Nookie and Rhonda have been able to cultivate two precious things that money can’t buy: trust and expertise. “We are predominantly local,” Nookie said regarding the clientele that use his services. “We’ve been doing it for quite a while, so we have a lot of repeat customers and friends in the community that support us… We service them and they remember us down the road if they need things.” Most of Nookie’s screen printing and embroidery customers are businesses, churches, youth league teams, or clubs looking to outfit their members in branded apparel. Often, their satisfaction with Distinct Impressions’ products motivates loyal patrons to reorder when they need more custom hats, shirts, jackets, tote bags, or other articles. Whether a customer provides a design to be printed or stitched, or they take advantage of one of the hundreds of stock logos and ideas Distinct Impressions offers, the end result will be a top-notch solution to any personal or professional need. Nookie has earned enough confidence from some clients that they don’t even feel the need to be consulted about their order. “[A]all the time people say, ‘I need 24 polos. Well, I need some hats for my business. Well, this is coming up. You just pick them out.’ I do a lot of that for people. I basically shop for them,” Nookie explained. A big part of offering the very best in customized attire is staying current. As technology has changed over time, Distinct Impressions has had to evolve. “Keeping up with technology, graphics, and software is the biggest thing for us,” Nookie asserted.
In the gift shop, staying in-the-know about what’s up-and-coming is equally important. Rhonda spins a lot of plates in tailoring her products and services to more than one key demographic. She prides herself on having something for everyone. To be sure, I noticed the gift shop had items suitable for women, men, boys, girls, and even babies. “I try to keep up with what’s trending… I listen to my nieces that are younger… I watch a lot of TikTok,” Rhonda said. Older folks are certainly not left out of the equation, though. Rhonda enjoys helping mature people refresh their look. She does this by offering personalized advice and assistance to her customers. “A lot of older people like for you to help them dress. They don’t know what the style is, but they want to change their style of dress a little bit. They want your opinion, and they want you to help them,” she said. Rhonda goes above and beyond, and she is not afraid of saying things like “No, those shoes don’t look like you,” or asking questions like, “It looks great, but does it feel good?” in order to find the very best pieces for each shopper.
No matter who she is aiming to please, Rhonda has to take a gamble with everything she orders for Distinct Impressions’ inventory, hoping that it will be on-trend for the next season and sell well. Most would shy away from the guesswork, but Rhonda enjoys “the thrill of the chase,” and is known to hit a bullseye from time to time. For example, last year the Simply Southern brand was selling large tote bags that Rhonda was able to order and sell at a discounted price. She brought 100 bags to the shop, and, to her amazement, they caused quite a stir. “People were lined all the way down the sidewalk, and they were pushing and shoving over those bags… I called Simply Southern and went up there and I picked another 160 up. They were all presold before I even got home,” Rhonda recalled. The bags became a sensation in South Boston. “I sold 480 of those Simply Southern bags,” she said. I was taken aback to hear that people still ask if Rhonda has any more of “those bags” in stock today.
A Rare Find
Simply Southern is just one of the many premium brands to be found at Distinct Impressions. The gift shop is the only store in the area that is licensed to carry certain labels like Swig, Susan Shaw, Yankee Candle, Yeti, Bourbon and Bowties, Turtlebox, and Milkhouse Candles. Not only can Rhonda help you find exactly what you’re looking to buy for holiday gifting, but big-ticket items like Turtlebox outdoor speakers and Yeti coolers can be placed on layaway, so you can secure your treasure before it’s gone and pay later. Not sure what to select? If you provide a budget and an idea, Rhonda can assemble the perfect gift basket for your needs, all within your budget. “They just tell me how much they want to put into it, and I do it. I think the personalization you get on the one-on-one is huge,” said Rhonda. Indeed, big box stores and online retailers cannot compete with the hands-on and personalized service guests can receive at Distinct Impressions.
While the two operations at Distinct Impressions might seem quite, well, distinct, from one another, they sometimes overlap, adding something bespoke to the customer experience. Since there are embroidery and screen printing machines on site, any item in the store can be personalized, decaled, or monogrammed. Jackets, handbags, baby blankets, towels, and more can be made uniquely yours in a stitch. “You can buy something here and I can go back here and put your name on it, and you don’t have to mail it off and do all that. That’s very personal,” Rhonda explained. Whether it’s a name, initials, or the birth stats for a new baby, it can all be affixed to whatever you please.
Running a business like Distinct Impressions is no easy task, and Nookie and Rhonda insist that they could not do it without their dedicated employees. Thanks to the full-time help of Courtney Duffer, Niki Comstock, and Production Manager Brett Webster, the Greens are able to sustain their downtown treasure. “They’re the backbone of our operation,” Nookie asserted. Rhonda added that, “We would not exist if it was not for them, because we can’t do it all.” Having an excellent team helps Nookie and Rhonda to feel confident in knowing that all ducks are in a row and the very best customer care is always being provided at Distinct Impressions, even when they are on a much-needed vacation.
The Finishing Touch
After the Greens told me their story and showed me around both parts of their business, Rhonda and I chatted while she escorted me out. Before we could reach the door, she had stopped to help a shopper looking for a Christmas tree ornament bearing the year 2024. Rhonda explained that while she didn’t have any in stock with the year printed on them, she would be happy to order a small quantity of such baubles should she find some at a market or online. Alternatively, if the lady found an ornament in the shop that she liked, Nookie’s team could print a custom decal to place on the ornament. I thought to myself, “What a fine example of what makes this place so special!” I could tell the Greens believe in honest business and the importance of lending a helping hand. As Nookie put it, “We’ve been around for a long time… and the service we offer the community… it’s fulfilling.” I left Main Street hoping that more folks will let Distinct Impressions take the guesswork, fuss, and impersonality out of their holiday shopping this year.
309 Main Street
South Boston, Va. 24592
(434) 572-8144
[email protected]
MakeItDistinct.com
