Local Businesswoman Just Wants to Say ‘Hello’

For Mary Unterbrunner, Yorkville resident and owner of the , there are no typical work days.

“That’s why I have this job,” she said with a laugh.

Throughout the week, Unterbrunner can be found greeting Yorkville’s newest residents, providing them with helpful local information, a phone book, and free gifts and numerous gift certificates from local businesses.

“It’s very personal but indirect advertising,” she said. “I look at it as my opportunity to lend a helpful ear to the new residents that have just moved in. And I like meeting people.”

Originally from South Dakota, Unterbrunner and her family, including her husband and four sons, moved a handful of times “and all five times got a welcome visit,” including when they moved to Yorkville in 1992.

In the spring of 1994, Unterbrunner joined the company and began making home visits herself. But in 1998, the Welcome Wagon discontinued.

Unterbrunner considered starting up her own welcoming company, but decided to pray about it first.

“I ran into a couple of people that year as I was praying about this that said, ‘You’re Mary from the Welcome Wagon. That was so wonderful.’ So then I thought, ‘OK God, I’m listening. I think I should continue this,’” Unterbrunner said.

In 1999, she started Home Town Hello with the goal of keeping the original personal welcome visit intact.

Someone mentioned to her she needed a tagline for her company.

“My favorite part of starting my own business was coming up with my tagline,” she said.

Home Town Hello’s slogan is “The Welcome Visit with Heart.”

And because of Unterbrunner’s fondness for fuchsia, it has become her signature color. The hue can be found on her website, and even in her outfits. She also incorporated hearts into her logo.

“I didn’t really like it when people called me ‘The Pink Lady,’ but no matter where I went, if they couldn’t remember my name they would remember I was the person from Home Town Hello,” she said.

While she doesn’t have a storefront, which can be challenging for an entrepreneur, Unterbrunner has made sure to keep herself visual in the community. An ambassador for the , she attends all the village’s ribbon cuttings.

“She definitely has her pulse on the community,” said Sherri Farley, executive director of the Chamber. “She makes a great liaison because she’s active with the new businesses, but also active with the new residents moving in. It puts her in a unique position to get feedback both ways.”

Unterbrunner admits she can get overwhelmed at times, especially when it comes to paperwork.

“My husband is so organized. I call him the filer, and I’m the piler,” she said with a laugh. “I try to get him to smile about it because we’re just different. I’m more into the people I can meet than having everything filed away in my office.”

Her favorite part of the job? The people.

“I appreciate it when they are willing to share their time with me,” she said.

For more information about Home Town Hello or to request a free welcome visit, go to www.hometownhello.biz.