Husband and wife run businesses next to each other

Business

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Husband and wife Jamie Metsch and Kate Leavy have side-by-side businesses, Roost and Beehive, on Front Street in Salem. The couple often ride a tandem bike to work. Mark Teiwes

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September 1, 2010

By Tom Dalton Staff writer The Salem News Wed Sep 01, 2010, 06:00 AM EDT

SALEM — It's not unusual for married couples to work side by side.

In this city, there's Paula Gravallese and Giovanni Graziani at Caffe Graziani, Andy and Jackie King at A&J King Artisan Bakers, and George and Pauline Markos at Dotty & Ray's Lunch.

But not many married couples have side-by-side businesses.

One of those popped up this summer when Kate Leavy and Jamie Metsch opened The Beehive at 38 Front St. right next to Roost, 40 Front St., the country design store they had opened in November.

For the most part, Leavy runs Roost and Metsch oversees The Beehive, a store that sells funny greeting cards, clever gifts and other items that seem to make customers smile. Each store has its own cash register and bookkeeping accounts.

"We set up separate stores entirely," Leavy said.

But they knocked down the wall between the stores, allowing customers, and themselves, to wander back and forth.

For the couple, who have been together for nine years and married for five, the second store represents a lifestyle change. Metsch, who has been working in the evenings as a waiter, is now spending days in the store.

Suddenly, he is rising in his Salem Common home and going to work with his wife. Sometimes they even ride a tandem bike together.

The new store, clearly, means a lot more togetherness.

"I'd say for the last nine years we have worked completely opposite schedules," Leavy said. "Now we get to spend time together and don't miss every dinner party, wedding and anniversary."

Fortunately, they work well together and like spending time with each other.

"It comes natural for us," Metsch said with a smile. "She's like one of the guys, and I'm like one of the girls."

If they run into problems, they can seek advice over on Bridge Street, where Stacia and Killy Xerras have been working in side-by-side businesses for 28 years.

She runs Stacia's Place, a sandwich shop at 97 Bridge St., and he runs Killy's Barber Shop, which is right next door. They have been married 45 years.

The businesses are on the ground floor of a building they own, right across from Coffee Time Bake Shop.

"It was his choice," Stacia said. "He suggested putting some type of food establishment here, and the kids were at a good age. They were teenagers."

They started the sub shop with a goal: to put their children through college. They reached the goal and kept working.

These are truly separate businesses, and on busy days they barely see each other. But there is a doorway in between that allows them to go back and forth.

At lunch time, Stacia not only gets to see her husband but has a little control over his food choices.

"I'm trying to keep him on a healthier diet," she said. "He doesn't get those big subs like he used to."