On a wonderfully stormy day in May, we sat down with Katie Ghen Simpson of Bathing Beauties Beads to talk with her about the origin story of the shop, the inspiration behind her work, and how she has worked to make Bathing Beauties a community gathering place.
Bathing Beauties has been in operation since 1991. Now in it’s 36th year, it is firmly planted in the landscape of Missoula, first in it’s two Hip Strip locations, and now in it’s beautiful, light filled, and welcoming space on the West Side.
One of the first things you see when you walk in is a beautiful vintage table with attached chairs that welcomes you to sit and read the books stacked on its surface, which Katie found in Butte. Plants abound, making the air feel clean and fresh, while the sunlight shimmers on strands of beads and casts patterns onto the beautifully decorated walls. When asked about the decor, and how intentional it feels, Katie says “when people come in I’m inviting them into my brain, my heart, my home. I feel like they are definitely stepping inside of me. It’s intimate for me in a way, because I have certain things in here from my family, so they’re always here even if they’re not here.”
Not only does the shop foster an atmosphere of creativity, Katie herself works to do so as well. Bathing Beauties has a community table, where customers are encouraged to sit and stay and create. This is one thing she wishes more people knew about, the table is not an insider thing but instead a place for people to explore creativity in a space where they can feel safe and supported.
She says “We have the tools here for our customers, it’s a space where we want people to feel safe, feel happy, and just enjoy their day. Let it be a little moment in time. I think it’s a very beautiful thing to do in the world, being able to play in color, being able to be a part of that, and it is so important. There’s a space where you get peace and joy when there aren’t things that give a lot of people peace and joy right now. And that can come at a $5 price tag or at a $500 price tag, but the fact that you have that many options opens the door to so many people. It’s not just for rich people, if you want to come and hang out and make a $5 pair of earrings, you could do that.”
When asked what one thing she wishes people knew Bathing Beauties had or did, she immediately answered “The part about connection.”
“The community table, which we’ve done for such a long time. Since we moved into the [corner Hip Strip] space in 2002 we’ve always done that. We never really talked about it, it was just something that would happen, and I really feel like people don’t always realize they can do that here. Or it’s like a secret or an insider thing. So I feel like that’s a big part that people don’t know.”
In addition to a community table, Katie makes sure that any maker who comes in for advice is heard and helped. She loves to hear what they are doing and where they are in their process of being a maker be that “the beginning stages of selling or deep in it with an understanding of their strategy”, and offers support where and when she can. Community and connection are her touchstones, if connection is being fostered, she is on the right track.
Bead shops are how she has found her community, and that community showed up for her in 2021 when the shop had to move from their old Hip Strip location to the new Westside space. Her friends and family supported her, parents of her employees came to lift boxes, customers and longtime friends made on buying trips came from far and wide to help. “People came to help me. That in itself was such a community moment, I just was so grateful.” One friend, met through the bead shop, came from Seattle and stayed for a month to support.
“When people struggle with change, it can be like, this was positive! And some change is heartbreaking, but this wasn’t heartbreaking. It was beautiful because we chose to make it that way.” And the move was beautiful, as it opened up the possibility to have more classes, more silversmithing, more opportunities for local silversmiths and makers to create or teach, and more places for people to discover a new hobby or skill.
Not only does Bathing Beauties host classes, and have a community table, they also host Second Saturdays. Something she wishes had been offered to herself and others when she was starting out was a space. So that’s what she does with Second Saturdays, it’s a “way for people to dip their toe into tabling and markets. Just see if they like it. We help set up and market and everything, and we don’t take a commission [from the makers who participate]. It’s simply a learning experience.”
Makers are encouraged to apply to be a part of their Second Saturdays, whether they are just starting out or a longtime market expert, by emailing the store at store@bathingbeautiesbeads.com or by sending them a message on Instagram. Katie also wants to make clear that Second Saturdays are not just limited to makers, she had someone come and do shiatsu massage one time.
If you are curious about Bathing Beauties, the vibrant community being fostered in the beautifully decorated walls, their classes, getting a piece of jewelry fixed, or simply just want to have a wonderful conversation, I encourage each and every person reading this to go visit. You will not find a more colorful, welcoming, or inspiring bead shop anywhere else.
And if you can’t make it in sometime soon, save the date for July 11th! They are throwing a huge party in honor of five years in their new space, and thirty six years of Bathing Beauties. In the words of Katie Ghen Simpson, “I just want to celebrate”.
