Local Business Celebrates Milestone

06 Dec Local Business Celebrates Milestone

Picaya launches online collection and events to celebrate two decades of business. Stop by Picaya at 101 West Colorado Avenue December 10 for snacks and store-wide discounts. Or join the Private Party after 6 p.m. for fine food, drinks and giveaways. Visit picaya.com  for an invite to private celebration.

Lisa Horlick had been making the rounds working the restaurants in Telluride. During off-seasons she’d travel to far-flung places, always returning with exotic treasures to share as gifts with her friends.

Horlick loved searching out and sharing uncommon goods, but hadn’t dreamed of turning it into a business until she realized she needed to either quit traveling to save money or launch a career that wouldn’t take her away from her passion.

“I thought if I brought things back and sold them that could help pay for my travels and support some of the great crafts people I was meeting along the way,” said Horlick.

That was 1994. Picaya was born.

This month Horlick is celebrating 20 years in business at Picaya with a new online store and a day of festivities on Wednesday, December 10.

Horlick started small with trunk shows and the Christmas bazaar but soon moved the business–named after a volcano she visited in Guatemala–to a shared space on the second floor of a retail space on Colorado Ave.

“We started with importing mini skirts and boxer shorts from Guatemala and colorful hammocks made in Mexico,” said Horlick.

In 2001, Picaya moved to the current location at the northwest corner of Pine and Colorado and today is a cornerstone of Telluride’s commercial district and a local’s favorite for gifts and rare finds.

“Picaya has never let me down,” said Suzanne Cheavens, who has been frequenting the business since the 90’s. “I always find the perfect gift, every single time I shop there.”

On December 10, Horlick is inviting the community to join her at Picaya, at 101 W. Colorado Ave., for treats and store-wide discounts. Later, at 6 p.m., Horlick will host a private party with fine food, drinks and giveaways.

Horlick continues to travel and the store’s offerings are highly curated to reflect her ethos and focus on locally made, Fair Trade, eco-friendly and recycled furniture, home accessories, textiles, jewelry and beads.

Today Picaya offers a range of local products–like Smart by Nature soap and Bluecorn beeswax candles–and global finds like wool rugs, furniture from Brazil and Indonesia, sushi sets and dishes from Japan. Picaya boasts beads from around the globe and jewelry from Southeast Asia and India, wall décor from Peru and pillows from India, South America and Thailand.

Picaya is also finely tuned toward body, mind and spirit offering numerous pampering accessories like candles, essential oils, incense, books, and soaps.

A visit to Picaya is like escaping on an international journey and Horlick’s new website aims to make that experience available to customers worldwide. “Our prices are comparable to some other fine retail stores, except you can trust your purchase meets our high standards for sustainability and Fair Trade,” said Horlick.

Raised in Philadelphia, and a graduate of the University of Colorado, Horlick moved to Telluride in 1985, drawn to the community, its spectacular setting and the incredible San Juan Mountains. Not much has changed as even today, with the success of Picaya and all her business trips, Horlick still finds time to ski, hike and enjoy the magnificent peaks that surround her.

“I started Picaya on a credit card and with very little advertising. I had no idea that I would still be doing it 20 years later. It’s been a dream and I’m so excited to celebrate,” said Horlick.