Meet Lovisa Axtell | Owner, Aquamarine Daydream

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lovisa Axtell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lovisa, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from a suburb of Portland, Oregon. I didn’t have a conventional family growing up, my mother was never in the picture due to alcoholism and passed when I was 13. I didn’t meet my father until I was 10 and didn’t see him again until after my mother passed. I was mostly raised by my Aunt Sharon and her partner who were both very strong and independent women. From a young age, I watched and helped my Aunt DIY our home to the extreme, going so far as tearing off the roof and adding a second story to the house. I was the smallest of our little family, so I would do things like crawl under the house and help by doing tasks such as handing her wires through the floor. She would keep me busy by giving me a board, a hammer and a box of nails and giving me the task of seeing how many I could nail into the board straight. I spent a lot of time keeping myself busy making things with my hands and watching her do the same. This has led me to see things not as one big picture, but as all the things that come together to make something what it is. I feel that no task is too big or too small to figure out a way to conquer. If something is broken, I am always going to try to figure out a way to fix it before just buying a new one. This has also led to having a very independent nature.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started this business my 20’s. Being a young woman entrepreneur is not easy getting your foot in the door with suppliers, many of whom speak little or no english. I wasn’t taken seriously and had to advocate for myself to not be ignored. I started as a one woman show and have grown to a team of about 10 people. I started with a simple Etsy page, moved to doing live sales on Facebook, started doing more in person shows, and ended up with a storefront and a wholesale warehouse.

I believe our inclusive and diverse team set us apart and make our shop a welcoming environment. Even if you don’t come in the store looking to buy something, we love to open peoples eyes to unique and beautiful crystals and just share our knowledge. I value our community and try to make a difference wherever I can. I am a member of the Food Conspiracy Co-op, who are our next door neighbors. I am also involved in the Historic Fourth Avenue Coalition who hold the Made in Tucson Market and work on other local improvements. I also value my team and their inputs on improvements for the business. Unlike other small businesses, I offer benefits to all full time employees including PSL and healthcare with dental and vision options. I also stock our fridge and cabinets with snacks, drinks and easy meals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite restaurants are Zemams Too and Lemongrass, both of which are close to the shop. The owner of Lemongrass is a Geology Professor so we have common interests and his food is the freshest I’ve been able to find in this city. Many mornings I see him passing by the store with a box of fresh veggies from the Co-op. They always seem to be cooked just perfectly, with a slight amount of crunch and just bursting with flavor. I am a member of the Desert Museum and love taking the trip out there to feed the Sting Rays and see the plants at different growth stages throughout the year. You never know when something amazing is blooming and the butterflies are swarming like you’ve never seen before. The drive out there is also incredible and is an experience in itself. I can’t also help but plug our beloved historic Fourth Avenue, with all the small businesses and great eats it is a great way to spend the day, especially if you are staying somewhere where you can take the streetcar and just walk the Avenue. Hola Chingona is another female owned store very close to the shop where all the items are locally made and some are even made in house. Its my go-to when looking for gifts, I’m always going to find something that is going to make the recipient laugh. Another great store that is also one of our neighbors is Popcycle, they are packed to the brim with handmade and local goods.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would definitely have to say my Aunt Sharon, because I have no idea where I would have ended up or what my upbringing would have been like without her.

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