ML entrepreneur launching home decor store in April

Elements Inside and Out to neighbor Michael's on the Lake

MOSES LAKE — Over these next few months, Krista Hamilton is going to master juggling.

Krista and her husband Mike are the owners of Michael's on the Lake. They are also raising a 12-year-old. Krista works as manager at the Moses Lake Convention Center, for a little while longer. And she is working to open a new business in the long-vacant building next to the restaurant.

The business, Krista previewed, is Elements Inside and Out.

"It's a home decor and gift store," she said. "We purchased the property next door. The building was sitting vacant, and my husband asked me what I wanted to do. That's what I wanted to do."

Krista said she has always loved home decor, dabbling in it whilst working at the Convention Center with doing sets. Her mother is an interior designer, she said.

Krista doesn't necessarily want to be a designer, but she doesn't mind providing the products. She likes the creativity of it, she said.

The building is under construction, and Krista has already been to market, including gift marts in Seattle and an international trade show in Dallas, selecting inventory.

"We're offering a little bit of something for everyone, but we're offering more designer-type things — the interesting pieces, the accent pieces, the real decor pieces for a home, not just the staples of tables, chairs and sofas," she said, adding that some standard furniture will be available, but they will fall into a more designer style.

Hamilton said she is not certain what will happen to the Convention Center.

"They have not hired anyone to come in and manage it," she said. "I don't even know if they are looking." The owners of the Convention Center facility say they are under nondisclosure with the buying party.

Hamilton said her contract with the Convention Center ends March 12.

The new business will have six to eight employees, people who have worked for Hamilton at the Convention Center.

Elements In and Out will also offer an espresso kiosk, she said.

A resident of Moses Lake since 1964, she met Mike through mutual friends.

They have been married for six years, and have run Michael's for eight years.

"I think it's kind of a perfect accent, this business and that business next door," she said. "We'll kind of feed each other as far as customers go. Michael's sees a large customer base and it offers them something else to look at. We do a lot of tourist business, and so I think it offers a shopping accent if the ladies don't want to stay and watch the football game."

Elements In and Out will offer a variety of items, from home furnishings to kitchen items, from gourmet foods to bedding, body care and such wine accompaniments as wine racks, corkscrews and wine games.

Michael's will continue in its current capacity and with catering, she said.

"Catering is a large part of us," she said. "We just have more flexibility to go anywhere now."

The new business is generating a lot of excitement amongst the community.

"I think it's a much needed thing, a much needed type of business here," she said. "Something more custom."

Hamilton said that plans are for the new business to open in the first part of April, no later than April 15. Construction is proceeding well.

"We're doing a lot of the work ourselves, just to save budget-wise," she said, adding that the carpenter and crew working on the stucco are local. "I'm very excited to offer this in the community."