Abigail Luby: Photo by Kim Leeson
Neighbor Abigail Luby loves fonts and beautiful paper — a signature trait that has clients from around the world banging down her digital doorstep.
Three years ago, Luby quit her day job in advertising to launch Chips and Salsa Design Studio, a stationary and calligraphy business, from her home in East Dallas.
The business came about almost by accident. Luby has always had beautiful handwriting, she says. She wanted to address her own wedding invitations, so she began taking calligraphy classes and quickly fell in love with it.
After that, friends began asking her to design their wedding invitations, birth announcements and other special-occasion literature. Soon, friends of friends were requesting her services, and the business grew organically from there.
“It’s all been word of mouth referrals,” Luby says. “In three years I’ve never had to advertise.”
These days, she designs the literature for about 10-15 weddings a month — from save-the-dates to name placement cards — on top of things like baby announcements, party invitations and thank you cards.
Over the years her client base has stretched across the globe, and in July she’s launching a newly renovated website, which will make customizable orders even easier.
“That way we can reach more people,” Luby explains. “Grow in terms of the client base. That’s the next step. I’m going to see how the launch goes, and then we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Even though she “never in a million years” thought she’d be doing what she’s doing now, she says she’d do it all over again.
“It’s that human connection and getting to hear the stories of people during the happiest moments in their lives — a wedding, having a baby, or throwing a party for the people they love,” Luby says. “I feel like I get to play a small part in that.”
Learn more at chipsandsalsadesigns.com
