Minding Your Business- Snow’s Home and Garden

Snow’s Home and Garden in Orleans is a Cape Cod institution embarking on its 136th year in business. Snow’s defines what it means to be a multi-generational, independently-owned staple in a community. Each team member at Snow’s helps exemplify the traits that makes this store unlike any other on Cape Cod: pride in quality merchandise, superior customer service and an unparalleled in-store shopping experience. I was delighted to recently sit down and talk shop with five key team members who embody all of Snow’s core values and who are vital to the company’s success. 

Alex Mahally knows Snow's operational side inside and out. He has been with the company for six years and handles all of the day-to-day logistics with deliveries, assemblies and receiving truckloads of merchandise. He is considered by many at Snow’s to be the glue that keeps the operation running smoothly. Mahally juggles a lot, proudly saying that “a sale isn’t done yet until I make the delivery — that’s when we’re done. We want to make everyone happy.” It’s that positive mindset that drives Mahally to keep the flow moving, whether it’s helping customers position newly-purchased furniture in their home or get the store ready for big seasonal events like the Fourth of July or Christmas. He is the man who makes it all happen. 

Lee Ann Morris is tenderly referred to by her colleagues as Snow’s air traffic controller and has been with the business for almost two years. Morris handles the customer service desk and the flurry of calls that come in on a daily basis. She is also a mastermind at fielding customer needs and matching them up with the right sales person on the floor. “You see a lot of different people,” she said. “They know this store is unique and we have mostly everything they need.” She loves that the store is special and offers the community an amazing experience.

Laura Anderson has been at Snow’s for three years and heads up the massive outdoor living and seasonal side of the building, where everything from patio furniture, grills, beach supplies and more can be found. In the fall, the area completely transforms into a winter wonderland for Christmas, which is a time-treasured transition at the store. Anderson says the transformation is truly an amazing process and one that the community has embraced. “I love seeing the joy on the children’s faces and how happy they become when they come and see the Christmas trains, or even an elderly couple that comes here year after year. Snow’s is part of their Christmas tradition…it’s truly magic.”

Nancy Stroh is a real jill-of-all-trades when it comes to the merchandising and display operation in the main home fashions area of the store. Stroh says she “hits the floor running when I get here everyday. It’s a fun job and it’s never dull. All of the merchandise basically comes in and goes through my hands.” She credits the management at Snow’s for giving her the creative freedom to set up different areas as she sees fit, including furniture, decorative pillows, towels and hanging rugs. The plush seagulls with French fries in their mouths are sure to be a big hit this summer, she thinks (and boy are they adorable!). Stroh loves to set up merchandise with color themes in mind, using pops of red, navy blue and white. “I have really built a friendship and a trust” with the shoppers, she said, and that is what she loves about working at Snow’s.

Madeline Kavanagh heads up all of the marketing, events and social media for Snow’s. She fondly recalls shopping in the store as a child in the paint department with her dad and even buying her first ornament there. Those fond memories made it an easy transition when she came to Snow’s from a marketing company recently. She says everyone at Snow’s was eager to elevate their social media experience and has been on board with many of the new marketing concepts she’s brought to the table. Kavanagh credits the local Orleans community with the success of Snow's, noting that the business “tries to do the most that we can for the local people in this community.” 

When asked “what makes Snow’s so special,” each employee I spoke to had the same resounding answer: the people. And after spending some time with these five lead team members, boy were they right! Snow’s is a Cape destination — be sure to stop in soon and say hello!

Snow’s Home and Garden

22 Main St., Orleans

508-255-0158