Old Town women's shop offers “professional” clothes

Old Town women's shop offers “professional” clothes - Fauquier Now

Posted: 23 Oct 2019 08:07 AM PDT

Studio Luxe owner Brandi Norrell considered Haymarket and Old Town Manassas before settling on Warrenton for her venture.

To the business strategist, Old Town Warrenton seemed ripe for a store that would appeal to women who want "trendy" but "professional" and "appropriate" clothes.

"It's something we don't have in town and the area," explained Brandi Norrell, whose Studio Luxe's grand opening on Sunday afternoon at 9 S. Fifth St. attracted a steady stream of customers.

That, plus powerful feelings about clothes persuaded Ms. Norrell to launch the store.

"I'm a woman," the Haymarket resident said with a laugh. "I love clothing. It's something that I'm passionate about."

Ms. Norrell described the store's audience as "everyday women."

"There's something in this space for everybody," she explained. "There are a lot of transitional pieces that work both from the day to the evening."

Prices range from $15 for accessories to $150 for a winter coat, leisure suit or party dress, said Ms. Norrell, the owner of Cheers to Today, a Prince William-based consulting firm that provides personal, small business, executive and leadership development coaching.

Ms. Norrell scouted out storefronts in Haymarket and Old Town Manassas before deciding on the Fifth Street space.

"I was drawn to the historic downtown area," said the first-time merchant. "And, I saw this place was vacant."

Kelly Ann's Quilting occupied the 1,500-square-foot shop until it closed almost a year ago.

"I think it's the perfect place in terms of location and the feel," Ms. Norrell said. "I like the farmhouse, boho-shabby-chic look" of the structure. "There's nothing else down here like it."

The space appealed to her because of its access to ample parking — along Fifth Street and in a nearby public lot — and proximity to Main Street businesses that generate plenty of foot traffic, she said.

From April through November, Saturday's Warrenton Farmers Market at the Fifth Street parking lot also should give the business a boost, Ms. Norrell said.

By design, Studio Luxe will have limited hours — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

That kind of "flexibility" will allow her serve walk-in customers as well as hold events and provide specialized client services, Ms. Norrell said.

Events will include ladies' nights, personal shopping by appointment and book signings, she said.

"That's part of the idea of being closed three days" a week and "the earlier hours," Ms. Norrell added. "I want this space to be an experience. I want it to be a vibe. I want people to feel at home here. I don't want it to feel like a store."

Today, more than 30 North Virginia, Virginia and West Virginia vendors supply the store with brands that shoppers would expect to find in a "specialized boutique," Ms. Norrell noted.

It will carry only U.S.-made items, she said.

"It's gorgeous," Kloey Waller, 32, said of her friend's shop. "It's everything I thought it was going to be. Every piece is something she hand-picked. She's very particular."

Mrs. Waller picked out a sweated and a shawl that she said would cost about $60.

"I don't mind paying a little bit for something that is super cute," Woodbridge resident said.

On Sunday, Sara Gibbs, 35, drove from Raleigh, N.C., to help celebrate her friend's new venture.

"There's clothing for literally women of every age," said Mrs. Gibbs, who set aside a sweater, dress, blouse and pair of jeans. "I have a 12-year-old daughter. And, my mother is 67. There are pieces all of us can wear."

She described the clothing selection as durable, stylish and adaptable.

"The scary part for me, when you shop a small boutique, is that you might not be getting something you can wear for a while," Mrs. Gibbs said. "These pieces are interchangeable; they're versatile. I can see wearing some of this throughout the year.

"I think I'll get my money's worth."

Ms. Norrell believes that distinctive brick-and-mortar businesses, with websites and social media "presence," can prosper in a market increasingly dominated by internet retailers.

"I think it's all about the feeling you give people when they walk in the door," she said. "I think there's something so unique about this space and the feeling that's in this building. You can't find this on the internet.

Ms. Norrell added: "There's something about being able to go into a store, try something on and then be able to walk out with it in your hand."

With a three-year lease, she rents the storefront for $1,600 a month.

"So, I'm not going anywhere," the confident boutique owner said.

Contact Don Del Rosso at Don@FauquierNow.com or 540-270-0300.

New owners expand women's clothing at Bauman's in Mount Vernon - KCRG

Posted: 10 Oct 2019 12:00 AM PDT

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (KCRG) - New owners took over a business staple in Mount Vernon, and it includes a few changes.

Bauman's and Company has sold men's wear in Mount Vernon for 110 years. Olivia and Josh Randall bought the store on July 1, 2019. Since then, they've tripled the women's inventory and made a new women's department upstairs.

The couple recently moved back to Mount Vernon. They met here while attending Cornell College.

"So we just decided, after we got married, to move back to Mount Vernon and raise our family here. So we just enjoy it," Olivia said. "Then we saw [the previous owner] Mike was selling his shop. And I worked retail in the past and I always wanted to get back into it."

She said suit sales continue to bring in the most business.