04/08/2026
We want to take a moment to talk about Suzannah. Suzannah worked at Simple for over a year, so many of you had the privilege of crossing her path. She was the one with the cool earrings who would calculate your refill weights by hand (she refused to use the calculator). She was the one who would have given you advice on how to fix your shoulder pain or how to sleep better. She was the one who would have lit up when she saw your baby and listened intently as you shared your birth experience. She loved working at Simple, a fact she would remind me of constantly. This woman, who did such important and life-altering work, got so much joy from interacting with and getting to know you. You loved her, the Simple team loved her, and I loved her.
Suzannah and I met 15 years ago when our kids were in the same kindergarten class at Grattan. I’m not great at keeping in touch, but Suzannah made sure we stayed connected over the years. When I opened Simple a block from her house, she was instantly one of our best customers and biggest supporters. She would always bring me treasures she found on the street or in her house to use as display pieces. When I told her I was looking for second-hand cotton t-shirts to use for Simple merch, she brought me bags full of them. When she was helping me relocate the store and I was beyond exhausted, Suzannah offered to stay a bit longer, and when I came back the next morning, everything was packed up. She would bring all her people to Simple and give them a tour of the store, beaming with pride for her friend. One day, maybe the 10th time I jokingly (not joking) offered her a job, she took me up on it. She became my sounding board, my handyman, my business consultant, and most importantly, she made me feel less alone on this small business journey. She always knew when I needed a pep talk or just needed to talk s**t, and she always made me laugh.
Suzannah said working at Simple helped balance her life. That is exactly what she did for me. There is a gaping hole at Simple, but we will do our best to honor our friend by continuing to spread light and love in our community. As her husband, Dheen, put it, we will try to “be more Suzannah”.
