BCCC alum finds success with Cottage Junkies | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    When the Woolard girls opened their business, Cottage Junkies, a year and a half ago, Landis Woolard saw it as a way to pursue her interest in interior design.

    Since then, Woolard says, she has used her associate's degree in business administration from Beaufort County Community College to help make her business successful.

    "It's a great degree to have for most anyone for owning a business," Woolard said.

    A native of Washington, Woolard attended the local public schools and graduated from Washington High School in 2001. She earned her associate's degree from BCCC in 2003.

    Woolard comes from a family of well-known Washington businessmen and women. Her great-great-grandmother owned a tourist home in the historic district in Washington called the Wisteria Inn. Her maternal grandparents owned and operated Scott's Supermarket, a successful grocery store in Washington and she was raised on the Woolard family farm, Golden Leaf Farms.

    Woolard's own business experience includes several years of work in customer service at Tayloe's Hospital Pharmacy in Washington.

    With this background in business, Woolard had for many years dreamed of opening her own business. So in December 2012, along with her mother, Tricia, and sister, Brooke Woolard Newman, Landis Woolard opened the store at 103 N. Market St., the site of a former meat market.

    Cottage Junkies specializes in antiques, painted and refurbished furniture, found objects and hand-made accessories for the home. Cottage Junkies also works with local artists and carries locally-made items like scarves, jewelry, towels, note cards, soaps and burlap pillows.

    She and her family attend estate sales and auctions throughout the state to find unique items for the store.

    At first, Woolard kept her full-time job with Hospital Pharmacy and operated Cottage Junkies part-time with her family's help but now operates the store full-time 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

    Woolard also believes in giving back to the community and is mentoring young people interested in design.

    In recognition of her business success, Woolard was named Entrepreneur of the Year for 2013 by the Washington/Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber's annual awards banquet earlier this month.
Pictured above Chamber Director Catherine Glover, left, presents the Entrepreneur of the Year for 2013 award to BCCC graduate Landis Woolard and her mother, Tricia, a partner in the store. Tricia Woolard is Coordinator of Educational Media/Graphics Services at BCCC.


    Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.