St. Louis Park Businesswoman Juggles Career, Motherhood

Businesswoman Susan Sun takes the term multi-tasker to a whole a new level.  She owns and operates a designer store in St. Louis Park and is a mother of two kids under the age of 2.

“As a mom and businesswoman, it’s hard to stay on top of things, but I figure if I can juggle both I know there is nothing I can’t do in the future,” Sun said.

Originally from Taiwan, Sun opened OPM, a retail clothing and handbag store, in the Excelsior and Grand area in 2008. 

“The same year I opened the store, I also got married,” she said. “I guess I’m just used to handling a lot at once.”

Now this modern day mom brings her two kids, Milla and Elliot, to work with her.

“It’s just one of the perks of being my own boss,” she said.

While the kids play, Sun can do market research and keep an eye on the hottest trends to fill her store. The posh-looking layout displays designer clothes on racks suspended from the ceiling with shimmering handbags surrounding them.

“Handbags are my obsession,” Sun admitted. “I don’t even know how many handbags I have at home. Some I don’t even use—they are just kind of on display in rooms.”

While she loves all kinds of designer bags, right now her favorite is an over the shoulder messenger bag. This hands free carryall allows her to be ready for any baby or personal need. While that is in-vogue for Sun, she knows that’s not what everyone is looking for so she makes sure she stocks the shelves with fun and funky purses. 

“I can always find a unique handbag at OPM,” shopper Ava Thridell said. “Kudos to the owner for having great taste.”

Sun’s flair for designer threads comes with a lot of research.

“I am always online looking at the trends, and since I am always ordering stock ahead of time, it’s tough to know what will be in months from now,” she said.

This designer diva got her start in retail online. She sold handbags through online auctions when she was a student for extra spending money. Years later, a master’s degree in human resources and knowledge of selling designer items was all the inspiration she needed to open her own store.

“This has been a good fit for me,” Sun said. “With the store I can entertain my love of fashion and still spend the time I want to with my kids.”