![](media/image1.png){width="1.979861111111111in"
height="1.0083333333333333in"} ***News Release***

New York District Office

Release Date: March 01, 2006 Contact: John J. Miller (212) 264-7770

Release Number: NYDO-06-14 e-mail: john.miller@sba.gov

***Woman Business Owner has it***

***Made in the Shade***

**New York, NY\--** Back in 1996, in the effort to avoid the sun's
skin-damaging ultraviolet rays, fair-skinned New Yorker Peggy Levee set
about the task of finding a fashionable parasol for herself. Little did
she know at the time that the search would plunge her into
entrepreneurship.

Her quest for that perfect, sun-shielding device led Levee to the
once-venerable Uncle Sam Umbrella shop, a generations-old Manhattan
retailer that eventually closed its doors in 2000. She determined then,
that the selection of parasols was extremely limited, as were another
favorite accouterment of hers\-\--umbrellas.

With the demise of Uncle Sam Umbrella and a dearth of Manhattan
alternatives Levee often contemplated opening her own store to sell
those items. All the while she had been working in a series of corporate
management positions, none of which really excited her. But in 2003,
upon sighting what she thought was a perfect lease-space, Levee decided
to become a small business owner. She quickly sought out the assistance
of SCORE, a business counseling and training arm of the U.S. Small
Business Administration. Known as *Counselors to America's Small
Business*, SCORE's volunteers provide free counseling to aspiring and
existing entrepreneurs.

With a crash-counseling course in retail business basics from SCORE's
Martin Lehman and Max Wagner, Levee signed the lease and launched her
business\-\-- Rain or Shine. That was quite a vote of confidence in
herself, as she had no entrepreneurial experience prior to opening the
doors. Immediately upon the lease signing Levee hired contractors to
renovate the space and then headed overseas to buy inventory with
Gilbert Center, a former employee and product expert from Uncle Sam
Umbrella with whom Levee had developed a friendship. As it turns out,
none of the products Levee wanted to sell were made in the U.S. and
Levee's buying spree led her to France, Spain, Italy, Austria and Great
Britain.

Rain or Shine is neatly ensconced mid-block on New York City's 55^th^
Street and caters to those New Yorkers and tourists who consider
umbrellas as important a fashion accessory as their handbags, jewelry
and hats. Levee also stocks those fashionable parasols she was
originally searching for as well as another fashion statement, or
necessity depending upon one's circumstances\-\-- canes. No other store
in Manhattan is devoted solely to the sale of those

three items.

Page 1 of 2

Umbrella aficionados will be pleased to know that Rain or Shine stocks
the esteemed Knips of Germany and Brigg of London brands. In fact, Levee
states, "None of my umbrellas will blow out\... none." Cane admirers
will be equally pleased to know that they can find walking sticks made
of highly prized snakewood as well as travel-wise collapsible canes. And
parasol fanciers might be surprised to learn that modern-age parasols
are made with UV-protective materials.

Three projects are on the horizon for Levee. She's looking to relocate
to a larger retail

space, she'll soon be launching a Rain or Shine Web site, and she is in
discussions with the ASPCA to design a special umbrella, from which she
would like to donate the sale proceeds to the organization.

Levee offers advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs. "I started without
a bookkeeper and didn't really focus on the importance of marketing or
advertising," said Levee. I wouldn't recommend opening a business that
way because it made that first year a bigger struggle than it had to
be."

With three years of success under her belt, plans for future growth and
even benefiting from inclement New York weather, it might not be too
corny to say Peggy Levee is singin' *when*

it rains.

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*All of the SBA's programs and services are provided to the public on a
non-discriminatory basis.*

*For more information about the SBA please visit
[www.sba.gov/ny/ny](http://www.sba.gov/ny/ny).*