Hi! I'm Val. My husband Matt and I own & operate Heavenly Bean Bags.  We have three PRECIOUS children all under the age of three (two boys and princess) - so we are definitely in a BUSY phase of life.  We are blessed beyond belief (with both the kiddos and our business...not to mention incredible customers) and wouldn't trade it for the world!  If you'd like to read a bit about our history, well here it is:

     Years ago, when I (Val) was a freshman at Samford University, I loved shopping in Birmingham's Galleria.  Every time I went to the mall I would tire myself out and eventually find myself in my favorite store, The Bean Bag store.   Being a poor college student and all, I knew I could not afford a bean, much less a bean bag chair.  However, the owner of the store was incredibly kind and he let me sit in a bean bag chair and chat with him for hours at a time.  One day he asked me why I had not bought a bean bag chair yet.  I responded that I was broke.  He went into deep thought and a few minutes later he asked me if I liked to baby-sit.    I said, "definitely!"  Well to make a long story short, I baby-sat his three precious children in exchange for a wonderful navy blue loveseat bean bag chair.  It quickly became a popular gathering spot for the girls in my dorm and I loved it so much that I eventually ended up working at the Bean Bag store.  I worked there on and off until I graduated from college.
    
After graduation I moved to Maine and worked at Chop Point, a wonderful Christian school and camp. I really loved it, but eventually had to move on.   I got involved with a local church and helped create a youth ministry, but I found myself with very little time to spend with the students and with a huge stack of bills.  I began to seek a way to earn some extra income without working 50 hours a week and couldn't stop thinking about The Bean Bag Store.  I gave the owner a call, and he said it would be ok with him if I started my own business here in Maine.    

I started out selling them to friends and family, then moved to a small shop in Bath. Eventually we ran temporary kiosks in Brunswick, Auburn and Portland.  Now that kids have entered the picture we stick pretty close to home, Belfast, Maine.

I never stopped loving my navy blue bean bag chair, and my love for the product makes it really easy to sell.  I can not end this story without giving all the credit to Jesus Christ, who knew he had a perfect plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11) though I had no idea what it was.
  

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Valerie Curtis Lecher

P.S.  
         -       On October 4, 2003,  I walked down the aisle with a wonderful man, Matthew Lecher.  He is now working with me to make Heavenly bean bags a success.  
         -       On April 9, 2008 a new member of our team, Blake Curtis Lecher joined us...our first little one!  
         -       On November 4, 2009 we were blessed with the next member our our team, Cole Jacob Lecher.
         -       On April 15, 2011, Avonlea Lynn Lecher (our first little girl) joined our adventure.  Her brothers are loving their little sister!
         -       Customers often ask us if we have bean bags at our house - of course we do!  Here are a couple of pictures of the one in our living room (a medium loveseat)