When North Shore mom Melissa Cook set out to find a creative outlet that balanced entrepreneurship with family life, Lucky Lane Gifts was born. Launched in 2023, her e-commerce shop specializes in beautifully personalized, heirloom-quality embroidered gifts—ranging from beach totes to custom linen napkins and baby keepsakes. Though she never imagined a career in embroidery (and, fun fact, doesn’t even know how to use a sewing machine!), Melissa’s passion for monograms and meaningful gifting has turned Lucky Lane into a go-to for thoughtful, custom treasures. In this week’s Meet a Mom spotlight, we chat with Melissa about her Midwest roots, life with her three redheaded kiddos, and the journey from HR professional to small business owner. Plus, she’s sharing a special discount for our readers—keep reading for all the details! Welcome, Melissa!
Hi Melissa! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi! I’m Melissa Cook, owner of Lucky Lane Gifts! I’m a Midwest girl, born in St. Louis, went to college in Tulsa, then moved back to St. Louis before moving to the North Shore in January 2020.
I have 3 crazy red heads that keep me busy when not stitching ages 9, 6 and 5. Fun fact… my oldest was my first “employee.” She organizes my threads and gives a lot creative directions. She is paid with ice cream!
What are one or two other fun things to know about you?
I am one of 7 siblings!
I have no idea how to sew or use a sewing machine…much to people’s surprise.
What are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent?
I love living on the North Shore, I feel like I have fallen back in time… Seeing kids ride bikes to school, walking to the beach and the mini downtown shops brings a smile to my face.
For date night, you can find us at Sophia’s in Wilmette. One of my favorite places! Taking the kids for ice cream is a weekly occurrence; Homers and Buck Russell’s are our go-to.
Another hidden gem my family loves is the arcade in Winnetka called Games on Lincoln. Great for a cold or rainy day.
What are you reading and watching?
In this season of my life, reading is last on the priority list…sadly. I really need to get into audio books! Music is my love language. Especially 2000’s country with some rap mixed in!
Your mantra?
“Everything is figure-out-able” – When I got my 1st embroidery machine in 2023, I had no clue where to start…but that didn’t stop me. My good friend, YouTube, taught me how to use it…and a lot of trial and error.
Another quote I love (from one of my son’s hockey books and former phenom hockey player Wayne Gretzky), “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” This is so so true. Putting yourself out there is scary, but you never know what can happen. What opportunity is around the corner. My business, Lucky Lane Gifts, is living proof of this. Some of the best opportunities we have been given are by putting ourselves out there. Scary, but rewarding.
Let’s get down to business. Lucky Lane Gifts. Tell us all about these products and when you launched it.
Lucky Lane Gifts was born out of the love of MONOGRAMS! Growing up in St. Louis, getting something monogrammed or personalized was second nature. LLG launched in February 2023 with the goal of creating classic, personalized keepsakes that hold a special place in your heart and others. From everyday items, to special heirloom pieces, each piece is carefully embroidered with love and chosen by you.
Products range from your everyday beach tote, to custom linen dinner napkins, to gifts for a newborn baby. We are the one-stop-shop for all things gifting!
Your products are lovely. What was that ah-ha moment or inner voice that pushed you to starting this business?
Lucky Lane Gifts was born because I was searching for a creative outlet and something of my own. My kids are getting older and going to school full time – I didn’t want to go back to the corporate world, but wanted to work in some capacity.
I feel like I have the best of both worlds… This is my full-time job (plus some), but I have flexibility to go volunteer at school events and run carpools…while still running LLG!
What did you do before Lucky Lane Gifts?
My daughter asked me if I went to college for embroidery the other day… I laughed! I never dreamed of working as an embroider or owning a business. I went to college for business at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, specializing in Human Resources and Business Law. After college, until when my daughter was born, I worked in HR running employee benefits and recruitment. So, this was a big career pivot.
What do you want our audience to know about the ordering process?
I love to work directly with my clients! Ordering online from our website is the best place to start an order, but I typically reach out with questions or to confirm colors/fonts/etc. Sometimes (like a lot of times) people need a custom design or want to incorporate something unique into their design, so I am highly involved in the ordering process.
Designing and creating alongside my clients has become one of my favorite things to do! So all in all, ordering is not a one-size-fits-all option. Sometimes it’s ordering online, other times it’s meeting in person to design something special.
Are you offering any discounts at the moment? Any shopping events?
We would love to offer all readers of Chicago North Shore Moms and The Local Moms Network a 20% discount off their next order! Use the code “MOMS” at checkout. Visit luckylanegifts.com to get started on your order.
We are hosting a Spring pop up in April so everyone can get ready for “May Gifting Season” (teacher gifts, graduation, Mother’s Day…)! More information coming soon, follow our IG page, @luckylanegift!
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Lucky Lane Gifts?
We are truly appreciative of all of our past, current and future clients. We can’t wait to meet you and create something special for you.
Follow Lucky Lane Gifts on Social.
About Our Meet a Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
