Judy Sheldon spent three decades as the face of flag decor in Belmont and San Carlos, but after years of serving the Peninsula communities, in addition to well-known Silicon Valley corporations, she is ready to retire and spend more time with her dog and family.
Since the store’s inception in 1994, the 72-year-old’s reputation as a personable and hard-working owner quickly grew in the community. Now, customers come in to spend time with her just as much as they do to buy merchandise, her son Nick Sheldon said.
But even before she opened Judy’s Flag City, Judy and her late husband were active participants in the Peninsula’s small business community, running Dennis’ Discount Depot for almost 20 years. Judy eventually started her own venture, opening a store that continues to sell decorative flags for all occasions and holidays.
“I love running my store. I really do. I’ve met a lot of great people here,” she said, citing honesty and strong customer relationships as the primary reasons for staying in operation over so many years.
The business, now located in Belmont, was previously situated in a San Carlos facility about six times the size of the current spot and sold not only flags, but spinners, greeting cards and official NFL, NBA and MLB apparel.
The current location still offers stickers, pins and other trinkets but, despite the smaller size, it’s expanded its flag inventory to include flags from all 50 states and 196 countries. The selection is in high demand, particularly during holidays, such as the Fourth of July — what Nick Sheldon refers to as the store’s “Christmas” — as well as St. Patrick’s Day or Mexican Independence Day. And restaurants often use their services to adorn their own businesses with the country flag of the cuisines they serve.
And even though the online shopping surge has proved catastrophic for many mom-and-pop stores, especially those in the party planning and decor space, Judy’s Flag City has seemed to weather the storm. In fact, the number of corporate clients it’s taken on has grown over the years and includes Apple, Google and Stanford University.
To honor her commitment to the communities she served, the city of Belmont will conduct a proclamation in Judy’s honor in December. The store is also hosting an in-store sale from Dec. 11 to 23, as well as a retirement party for Judy on Dec. 16. The store is currently for sale but remains in operation.
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