At the Boutique with Ms. Laverne and Ms. Kim

Ms. Kim (l) and Ms. Laverne (r)

Another Saturday and I’m at one my favorite small businesses, The Wardrobe Boutique.  Today Ms. Laverne (sales and training coordinator) and Ms. Kim (sales associate) are managing the store, and they are busy! 

Ms. Laverne is supervising a team of tiny teen volunteers from a local high school who’re styling mannequins.  Window dressing and merchandising can be lots of fun, but it’s a challenge today because the mannequins tower over the girls.  They’re quiet as church mice as they buzz around grabbing sweet little pieces from H+M, The Limited, Anthropologie, and Banana Republic to dress their models.  I hear occasional bangs and thumps as the girls disconnect arms and legs from the giant albino women, but there are no casualties.  Later I hear murmurs of approval from the team as accessories are tied and draped over re-costumed mannequins.  Looking good!

Ms. Kim and Ms. Laverne greet and banter with customers while helping them find fierce leopard pumps for a special occasion, crisp white button downs for the office, or the perfect pair of tall black boots.  Ms. Laverne chats amiably with a woman buying a navy skirt with cream piping, and suggests complimentary shoe colors.  She smiles while folding the skirt and says, “Oooh, this is nice…I was looking at this myself!“  No doubt she was!

One of my assignments is tagging costume jewelry for sale.  Ms. Kim immediately busts out laughing when I sit down with tagging tools and a box of necklaces and bracelets.  She tried to show me how to tag clothing a few weeks ago, but I developed anti-tagging disorder which manifested itself by tags missing their targets and flying through the air, landing on the floor at my feet.  I coulda put an eye out--mine!

All day the ladies ring up and bag purchases for shoppers who are ecstatic with the amazing bargains they found.  Sales from the 50% off racks are hot.  “Frequent shopper cards” are punched and distributed to loyal customers (the ones who usually score the authentic Prada bags because they stop in every day and see the bags the moment they go on display).

I love going to a retailer who makes everyone feel welcome.  I love working with folks who are sharp, funny, and open-hearted, and I feel good about the time spent.  The best deal is friendship, which Ms. Kim and Ms. Laverne give in spades.