Charlotte woman to pitch handmade gnome business to ‘Shark Tank’

CHARLOTTE — There’s nothing like home sweet home, but inside one Charlotte abode, you could call it “gnome sweet gnome.”

It was two years ago when Wendy Hoffmeister created her first little gnome.

“From the time I am waking up to the time I go to bed, I am making gnomes,” Hoffmeister said.

She recalled making that first gnome to Channel 9.

“I thought it was cute,” she said. “I tried to sell it and it sold.”

Now, the business she and her daughter created has grown more than any gnome’s beard. The pair even sells seasonal gnomes — some for Valentine’s Day, Easter, and the popular St. Patrick’s Day gnome.

Sales of the handmade mythical creatures have taken off far and wide. More than 25,000 of them sold in just two years.

>> CHECK OUT WENDY’S GNOME SHOP

“Our gnomes are in every state in the U.S. We kept track,” Hoffmeister said. “We have shipped to numerous countries, we are up to 20 different countries.”

Producers from the hit show “Shark Tank” took notice and gave Hoffmeister a call after she submitted an application. The call means they’ll get to sit in front of the sharks and try to expand their gnome market domination.

As for the former labor and delivery nurse manager, her hard work hasn’t stopped while preparing for what “Shark Tank” could do for her business. Unlike their gnomes, Hoffmeister and her daughter’s eyes are wide open, excited about their future.

“We are excited to see how everything plays out and we are excited for our friends and family,” Hoffmeister said.

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