Since 1996, Connections has been styling State College and giving some flair to the heart of Happy Valley.
Bob Steinbach, the original owner of the business, has been operating businesses in State College since 1969. However, in the last few years, Theresa Ritzman took over the business and has continued what Steinbach started.
Ritzman was born and raised in State College and attended Penn State. Without the State College community, she wouldn’t have a store.
“Every local business, no matter what they’re doing, they are basing it off of the community saying ‘we need this or this.’ You need the little things, the attention to detail. We can change our business plan to meet the needs of the community.”
Success, for Ritzman, is all about meeting the needs of her customers, as well as building relationships with them.
“Knowing your customers, even the demographic of where you are. Certain trends won’t sell here, you have to do your research and know the customer base…People shop here throughout the years of their lives, you see them at all points.”
Ritzman prides herself on having something for everyone, not just college students. She also knows that buying local is an incredibly important thing, whether someone lives in town or is just here to visit.
“Some people don’t realize how much it means, we have something for everyone, not just college students. If you’re local, stopping in and buying a pair of earrings, those little things add up and make a difference in anyone’s business.”
You can visit Connections at 130 South Allen Street in Downtown State College.
