The owners of the boutique, Jim Loop and Mike Holtzer, brought the merchandise to the area after years of experience in the field. For years, both worked at Harrisburg’s Oroton leather factory and, after its relocation to the South, the two men decided to join forces and make available the fine quality leather goods and brands that they felt were missing from the area. To date, their shop boasts the merchandise of such exclusive lines as Oroton, Liza Ganz, Monsac, Jack Georges, and Derek Alexander and their aim is to attract two such highly regarded vendors per month. While those names might not immediately strike a chord with the average consumer, in the fashion and leather industry, it is taken for granted that they are the brands that fill the shelves of the exclusive boutiques found on Rodeo Drive and 5th Avenue … and, now, the average consumer can find them on the shelves of Our Little Secret on Mechanicsburg’s Trindle Road.

More than just a hobby, Holtzer is quick to point out that Our Little Secret is just as much a business venture as it is a love. He and Loop have plans to open a location on the East Shore and hope to eventually open 10 to 15 establishments throughout the commonwealth, adding, “We want to make a name for ourselves in Central Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, and then beyond the state.” Although the shop has only been in business for a number of months, Loop and Holtzer cite the growing number of repeat customers and established clientele as proof that their dream of bringing a stylish, high quality leather shop to the area is a success. While both men admit that there is still plenty room for expansion and inventory additions — as is witnessed in their incoming selection of leather belts and jackets — they clearly pride themselves in their existing and always rotating stock of leather handbags, businessware, and gift items.

Kopp started her business in 1974 after a few years of working in contract design. Her first store, located on Walnut Street, was a sprawling showcase of furniture that differed vastly from the quaint establishment she now calls home. Citing the furniture as lacking in necessity and taking time away from the clients, she decided to make a subtle change. This change is evident once inside her present location, a 200-year-old farmhouse just off of Colonial Road. In this environment, her operation is made up of less furniture and even more hands-on interaction, with the beautifully restored house acting as both an on-site gift shop showroom and a design studio.

Born and raised in the Harrisburg area, Kopp takes a special pride in adding to the style of the city that she loves. She and her dedicated design team have been able to implement their decorating touch on sites throughout the region, and it is that creative process that she counts as one of her favorite aspects of the job, largely because she and her team “can see a beginning and an end to what we are doing.” While she emphasizes the fact that the partnership between the designer and the client must be of equal balance, she remains aware of her own unique touch, citing her fondness for bringing rooms to life by adding the right mix of brightness and accessories.

In addition to its design studio, Harriet, Too also specializes in unique gifts for all occasions. The wide variety of home accessories and gift items offer an eclectic assortment of meaningful products that would serve as the perfect present for any event. The showroom of Harriet, Too is filled with everything from specialized cookbooks and baby gifts to elaborate statues and hand-fashioned photo albums, all of which blend perfectly amid a beautifully decorated environment that serves as a permanent reminder of the “dream team” of interior designers that are somewhere hard at work.

After spending time with her, it is clear that Harriet Kopp is a woman who considers her career as much a business as it is a passion. She refers to her position in life as “satisfying” and stresses that she loves her job more now than she did on her first day. “I feel very fortunate to be able to be doing what I’m doing in the place that I’m doing it and with the people that I’m doing it with.” While she admits that there is always room for her own business to expand, these days Harriet seems just as excited by the addition of two tenants to her Mount Hill complex, First Impressions, a women’s boutique and day spa, and The Garden Path, a unique shop of gifts and florals. While all three shops are specialized in their own right, it is clear that they have a very symbiotic relationship, drawing upon one another for clientele as well as artistic inspiration.