Mary carol garrity biography

Mary Carol Garrity says she only knows how to do things one way: full force.

So when the longtime Homestyle contributor, author and owner of renowned home decor store Nell Hill’s in Kansas City started thinking about retirement after nearly 40 years in the retail business, she knew there was no way she’d be able to scale back or ease into it.

“The problem is I was so hands on and I was there pretty much seven days a week,” said Garrity, “I like being on the floor, greeting everybody.

But with that, you’re going to eventually get burned out.”

Luckily, she found a new owner for her store, Katie Laughridge, who she’ll work with during the next year to ensure a smooth transition. She jokes that after years in charge, she now has a boss.

Still, she’s looking forward to new adventures with her husband, Dan.

When Garrity and I chatted last week, she was gearing up for a three-week trip to New Zealand. In the past, she co