Sunday, August 23, 2009
Sisters open children's shop
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
Two sisters' dream of running a business together became a fairy tale reality this month in Roanoke County.
Danielle Deeds and Damaris Jordan opened a children's clothing and accessories shop, Our Little Cherubs Boutique, on Electric Road in the Promenade Park retail center, two years after they launched the same venture as an online business.
Work crews have remodeled and decorated their 1,700-square-foot shop into a castle-themed and fairy tale wonderland. The sisters spent $90,000 to add unique features to the storefront at 3536 Electric Road, from airbrushed stones on the walls to a 5-foot-tall tree constructed in the middle of the selling floor for children to climb inside and host puppet shows.
These kinds of features should keep children occupied while their parents shop. It's what Deeds, a mother of three, calls "stress-free shopping."
For at least 14 years, Deeds of Hardy and Jordan of Roanoke County have been hashing out ideas for the kind of retail business that they could run together someday. The discussions began when Deeds, the younger sister, still was in college.
One morning while vacationing in Arizona, the idea came to them during breakfast, after they were inspired by a quaint children's clothing boutique nearby. Why not get into the kids' apparel business?
Deeds and Jordan thought combining their two career fields would create the ideal retail plan. Deeds is a former children's counselor, while Jordan studied retail merchandising in college and has worked in retail management.
They began their venture in 2007 as an online business, www.ourlittlecherubsboutique.com, housing a collection of specialty children's clothing and accessories in Deeds' Smith Mountain Lake home.
They continued to build the enterprise, opening up a booth at Olde Salem Mercantile in Salem, and last year they sold items at the Stocked Market, a local holiday bazaar.
All along, the sisters' goal was to have a brick-and-mortar store. And despite a poor economy that has halted some business expansion plans, "We said we are going to move ahead," Deeds said. "You have to keep following your dreams."
Little Cherubs carries clothing ranging from newborn to size 14 for girls, and for boys, it sells newborn to size 8. The selection mostly includes items ordered from specialty children's magazines, along with some organic apparel lines for infants and organic cleaning products.
Prices are mid-to-high end, with an average price of $35, Deeds said.
The sisters also plan to use a separate room in their new shop for hosting children's parties, complete with princess-themed costumes for girls and pirate and cowboy garb for boys.
Artisans to open shop
A group of Roanoke Valley artisans are creating an owner-operated cooperative in Westlake to sell their work.
So far, six artisans are making plans to sell a variety of items such as mohair teddy bears, hand-weaved baskets, flower-pressed notecards and quilting pieces at Lake Plaza, 130 Scruggs Road. The shop, which was unnamed as of last week, will open in early September through December initially. It may remain open beyond December, depending on its success, said Reva Campbell, a Moneta resident and one of the organizers of the co-op.
To join the artisan co-op and receive 100 percent of the sales of their own handcrafted items, each artisan will pay $100 a month for rent. They also are required to work at the store for three days a month.
Campbell said she's still looking for interested artisans, with a goal of 10 total.
Proceeds from the products will be divided among the artisan-owners, so that "everybody has the same share," Campbell said.
Campbell, who said she's always wanted to open a co-op, dabbles in a variety of craft work such as quilting, making beaded ornaments and basket weaving.
The 800-square-foot co-op will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and possibly other days of the week. Artisans also will hold classes there to teach their particular skills.
Back on the Rack has new location
An annual fall sale, Back on the Rack, is back this year, but it's at a new location.
For nine days starting Sept. 26 and ending Oct. 4, this temporary consignment store selling name brand children's and teenage apparel, accessories, toys, baby equipment and home decor will open at Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke County, on the shopping center's lower level beside J.C. Penney. Last fall, the Back on the Rack sale was held at Towers Shopping Center.
Three local moms and business partners run the sale twice a year. On its final weekend, merchandise is discounted by 50 percent.
For more information, visit www.back ontherackroanoke.com.
News from the Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/storefront/
n Are you a fan of Redbox $1 DVD rentals? Talk about it.
n Restaurant chains are increasing their free kids' meal offerings.
n Get the latest back-to-school shopping data from the National Retail Federation.
