Q&A with C.C. Lowell: ‘I’d like it to be around for another 175 years.’

America’s oldest art supply store sits at 455 Pleasant St. in Worcester. Founded in 1852, C.C. Lowell Art Supply has been providing fine art supplies to generations of artists and creators. Owner Kristen Sciascia has been with C.C. Lowell for 32 years, beginning as a student working part time. She worked her way up the ranks, learning every role the shop had to offer, before becoming owner in 2012. What products and services does C.C. Lowell offer? Number one, we're a fine art supply store. There are a lot of arts and crafts stores, but we cater to fine artists a bit more and do custom picture framing. That's a very big part of our business. We’ve framed everything from a certificate to a torch or a hockey stick. We offer art classes, sell gifts, and have some consignment in the store from local artists. Another important part of our store is the custom art kits we create for colleges and schools. It's a great partnership based on their faith in us and our proven history. Our little staff personally builds every single kit, somewhere around 700 to 800 art kits a semester. We put every single item in every single bag ourselves. How do you compete with online retailers and big box shops? Service and experience. When you come into the store, it feels like you're coming into my home. You're not greeted with a stale greeting. We want to hear about your project and how we can help you. It's so simple to stand out because there's so much bad customer service out there, but providing good customer service is so easy. All you have to do is be nice and think about what you would want if you went into a store. How would you like to be treated? And that's it. There's no magic. Just be a nice human being. Help people. How do you support art and artists in the community? In hard times and when people are stressed, they come back to their hobbies. They come back to what relaxes them, their creative outlets, and what makes them feel good. We help experienced artists, kids, and those new to art. I’m an artist, but my favorite thing is to help you get your project going. When all the Pow! Wow! Worcester! murals were going up in the city, we supplied all the paint. We are like the welcoming committee. When people are new to the city, we give them suggestions on where to go. We have customers from all spectrums of life, and they're comfortable here. What obstacles do small businesses face, and how are you overcoming them? Independent stores are struggling. I'm not going to sugarcoat that. We struggle with increasing prices and tariffs. However, we have very supportive people in the city who make it a point to come in and support us because they know if they don't, we won't be here. Every little bit keeps our employees working, pays the salaries, and keeps the lights on. We really do need to think about our buying choices and how they affect the community. One thing I'd love to see is some of the larger companies in the city support small independent businesses by purchasing what they need from them. We have David Clark, which is a gigantic company, and they buy pencils from us. They could buy their pencils anywhere, and it would not impact them; but they chose to buy from us, and that affects us greatly. I am part of the new Pleasant Street Business Association, and we are doing some great things on Pleasant Street and encouraging people to shop locally. In 2027, you’ll be celebrating 175 years in business. What would you like to see for the future of C.C. Lowell? I'd like it to be around for another 175 years. When I am done here, I'd love to pass it to the next person who has that kind of love for it and understands it's more than just a business; that you're serving a larger purpose and a community. We are changing all the time. Businesses don't stay in business unless they change with the times. You can't just stay back and say, “This is how it used to be, and this is how it will be.” Finding someone one day who understands those aspects, that's really my hope for the future. This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ Correspondent Sloane M. Perron.