New Owners, Shannon Wiegel and Tori Geddes
Charisma, a locally owned store, which has delighted tourists and locals alike, has been in business at its 1158 Orange Avenue location for over fifteen years. While loyal customers have come to know the unique shop as the perfect place to shop for Coronado keepsakes, coastal decor, baby gifts, wedding gifts, jewelry, and whimsical treasures, not everyone in town realizes that the store is under new ownership after the previous owners, Mr. and Mrs. Dave and Christine (Chris) Wright, sold it. (Prior to the Wrights owning Charisma, another family owned the store, first calling it Plums before changing the name to Charisma.)
As of October 1, 2017, Charisma, described on its website as “a locally owned home and gift store located in the heart of the Village,” is now owned and operated by its third set of owners, a pair of best friends, who just so happen to be mother and daughter, Shannon Wiegel and Tori Geddes.
Shannon Wiegel, a hair stylist and aesthetician, has, for the last three years has owned a salon at 1107 8th Street. As is often the case, she and one of her regular clients, Chris Wright, developed a friendly rapport with one another as Shannon regularly did Chris’s hair. As she sat back in the salon chair as Shannon styled her hair, Chris happened to mention that she and her husband Dave, who were interested in retiring, were planning on selling their beloved shop Charisma. Shannon, full of charisma of her own, jumped at the opportunity of a lifetime!
Although she loves working as a hair stylist and aesthetician and will eagerly continue to do so, Shannon was elated about the prospect of taking over her favorite store. “Owning Charisma is the perfect segue for me as I think about eventually transitioning to retirement, and, at the same time, it’s building a future for my family,” she shares. “It’s an absolute dream come true! I’ve always wanted to live on Coronado, and I’ve always wanted to have a business on Coronado. I now live here and have a business here, living the American dream!”
Originally from the Phoenix area, Shannon, a self-professed, proud Zonie, along with her husband Troy, moved to Coronado six years ago. Having vacationed in Coronado regularly for a number of years, one of the stores she visited without fail each time she was in town was Charisma. After officially moving from Arizona to California, as she settled into her new hometown, Shannon continued to frequent Charisma, where she knew she could always find the perfect gift or must-have holiday decor.
Before even learning that her mother was even entertaining the idea of buying Charisma, Shannon’s daughter Tori Geddes and her husband, had recently moved to Coronado from Arizona as well. “We’d been wearing her down for a few years,” Shannon laughs as she recalls the motherly peer pressure she lovingly put on Tori to move to the Crown City. After earning both bachelors and masters degrees in business administration and leadership from Grand Canyon University, Tori knew she wanted to live closer to her parents. Along with her husband Mark, Tori moved here by choice as opposed to feeling that’s what her mother wanted.
While Shannon and Tori are the official owners, together with their husbands, the family of four will run the family’s new business, and are the store’s only four employees. “It’s just me, Mom, and our two husbands,” Tori laughs. With a huge smile on her face, Tori shares, “It’s very exciting, at just 25 years old, to now be a business owner in Coronado and have this opportunity to work with my mom. I never dreamed I would be here doing this, and I feel very grateful that Mom initiated the conversation about this business venture for us.” As she glances over to her mother, just inches away, she gushes, “I get to work side by side with my best friend each day. What’s not to love? It was all meant to be!”
According to Shannon and Tori, the Wrights have made this transition seamless. “Chris and Dave have been monumental in our success, and have been accessible to us daily,” Shannon shares as she holds up a large stack of handwritten notes Chris and Dave shared with them as they turned over the store to them. As customers come in, surprised to see that the store is under new ownership, Shannon and Tori are both quick to point out that the change is a good thing because the Wrights are enjoying the family time that retirement brings.
Changes to Charisma?
For Charisma patrons who fear that along with new ownership will come massive changes to the charming store, fear not! “We’re keeping it Charisma! What works for Charisma is going to stay Charisma,” Shannon promises. Locals and military families will be pleased to know that they will still be able to receive a 10% discount when they shop at Charisma!
While the general premise of the store will remain intact, Shannon and Tori have made some minor tweaks here and there as they’ve thoughtfully transformed the store into a space of their own. As they continue to sell artwork created by local artists here in town, one wall is now dedicated to the beautiful Coronado scenery photographed by Dan McGeorge. “When people come in, they love it as they stop to admire how breathtaking his work is,” Shannon says.
Additionally, Shannon, in keeping with her original line of work, has added a line of high-quality beauty products to the merchandise sold at Charisma. “Now people on ‘island’ will have someplace to go to shop for beauty products besides going to a salon,” Shannon says. The store will feature Rhonda Allison’s hair and skin lines.
Another intriguing addition is that luxury, leather purses will now be available for purchase at Charisma, and the children’s section will be expanded with more books, toys, and stuffed animals. Shannon notes that they want to offer more sizes in children’s clothing so specialty clothing is available for children of all ages.
As dog lovers themselves, Shannon and Tori were eager to ensure that dog-themed items for fellow dog lovers would be available at Charisma. With a dog dish outside for thirsty pups, Charisma is a dog-friendly shop, and Shannon and Tori’s own dogs are frequent guests. (Check out their Instagram page for the hashtag #dogsofcharisma to see pictures of their dogs as well as other four-legged friends who’ve visited Charisma.)
With their strong Christian faith, visitors to the store who share their faith will be able to find Christian-based items, including crosses, signs, and references to scripture. As customers shop, they’ll be able to enjoy Christian music as well. “We’re very proud of that, and we’ll stand by that,” Shannon says of incorporating their faith into their business.
Part of the Coronado Community
Shannon and Tori are proud members of the Coronado Chamber of Commerce. They also belong to Coronado MainStreet Ltd., and accept “Coronado Currency” as a form of payment. Additionally, store owners Shannon and Tori support the Coronado Schools Foundation by being one of the local businesses to participate in the CSF Locals Card. As advertised on the 2017-18 Locals Card list of deals and savings, Charisma currently offers:
 | Charisma 1158 Orange Ave. – 435.5542 10% off in stock merchandise, some exceptions apply.Stop by Charisma on Saturday, December 2nd, 11 am – 2 pm for a Grand Re-opening Party. |
“We’re really trying to reach out to locals,” Tori says, explaining that they are hopeful that Coronado residents will shop as Charisma just as much as tourists do.
Black Friday and Small Business Saturday
While it’s already beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Charisma, be prepared for Shannon and Tori to kick it up a notch once Thanksgiving has come and gone! Ready to do your holiday shopping? Charisma is the place to go! When asked if Charisma will offer any great deals that day, Shannon replied, “You can say we’re offering GONGA deals! Among our many deals, we’ll be offering an amazing deal on our jackets, which are very popular.”
Whether shoppers are looking for holiday decor to make their own homes feel more festive, picking out the perfect hostess gift, or searching for meaningful presents for loved ones, friends, teachers, or coaches, Charisma seemingly has an endless variety of merchandise from which to choose. For those shoppers who aren’t quite certain what to buy that certain someone, Charisma also offers gift certificates. And a bonus for those shoppers who don’t like to wrap presents! Charisma, for a small, additional fee, offers gift wrapping on purchases.
Grand Re-Opening
Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 2, 2017 when Mayor Richard Bailey will help Shannon and Tori celebrate their new ownership of Charisma with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at 11:00 am. A Christmas party will follow, with holiday food and drinks served, and raffle prizes will be drawn. Among items which will be auctioned will be Christmas decorations and items created by local artists. “We’re thinking GRAND re-opening not little re-opening,” Shannon says, noting that shoppers will delight in sales prices that day!
Additional Information
Store Hours:
Sunday-Thursday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday-Saturday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Contact Information and Social Media Sites for Charisma:
- 619-435-5542
- www.charismacoronado.com
- Facebook: Click here.
- Instagram: Click here.
- Twitter: Click here.
