Little fish in big pond makes no exceptions when it comes to quality, uniqueness, and mission

RALEIGH, N.C. - July 23, 2015 - PRLog -- Mad Hatter, a small retail shop in the heart of busy Fuquay-Varina, is owned by Bobbie Asad, who says she has been incredibly blessed with a loyal, loving customer base in an amazing downtown community.

“Running a small retail outfit such as ours can be a little daunting in any area for sure,” Asad says, “but our customers keep coming back, and we’ve really held true to our mission to carry the most interesting hats around. We only stock one of each hat, and everyone walks out of here with a smile. If we can just keep to those two things, I think we’ll be alright.”

Asad has owned and operated Mad Hatter, located at 107 South Main St., since 2012 at this location, and one year prior in Clayton, NC. Although the shop is open three days a week (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday), Asad says she stays extremely busy, even when the shop is closed to customers. The limited open times help her keep up with the day-to-day operations of the store when she isn’t with customers.

“Between ordering, marketing, and staying involved in the community, we have full days every day,” Asad says, “The priority is staying involved in the community though, because without a community, we don’t have a shop.”

The shop stocks one of the largest varieties of unique hats in this area of North Carolina. The store is also well-known for its wide selection of tea cups, locally made loose leaf teas, and locally made hand lotions, sprays and soaps.

“New walk-ins generally express a lot of surprise by the volume of items we’re able to stock,” Asad says. “We also get a lot of positive feedback on the hats, which, when we’re competing against big box retailers in the area, is always nice to hear.”

Mad Hatter makes regular donations to charitable causes and organizations around the city, and Asad says she enjoys volunteering in a variety of community projects.

“Spending time with customers is great, but when you bump into some of them during an event, it makes the whole enterprise of running the store even more worthwhile. I’m lucky enough to connect with our customers on a variety of levels that go beyond their purchases. I couldn’t ask for more.”