Hunting to increase her small business, Leesa Blackwood reopened her children’s garments keep this month within the Kalispell Center Mall.
Helen Dean is a children’s consignment boutique that delivers carefully utilized children’s clothing and toys. Blackwood to start with opened the retail outlet as Giggles Consignment and Kids’ Shop in Columbia Falls two a long time back but has now designed the transfer to Kalispell trying to get a bigger area and a person with a lot more foot targeted traffic.
“More individuals come to Kalispell to store so we started looking for destinations listed here,” she claimed. “The new store offers us much more place. We had much less than 1,000 sq. feet in advance of then and now we have 3,000 square toes so which is a major enhance. We’re equipped to carry more item.”
In very first opening the enterprise, Blackwood was hunting to fill a area of interest she saw in presenting children’s outfits in a retail setting. She claims there are quite a few thrift stores and large-stop suppliers providing children’s clothing but she preferred to offer you one thing in the middle array.
Blackwood owns Giggles Playcare, a drop-in daycare center in Columbia Falls, exactly where the apparel retail store initial opened. In earning the move to Kalispell, she up to date the identify of the retail store in an hard work to differentiate involving the two corporations.
The name Helen Dean has a spouse and children relationship. Dean is for Blackwood’s son and Helen was her grandmother’s identify.
“My son needed his name integrated,” she explained. “And my grandma was incredibly specific to me.”
Helen Dean focuses on higher-stop carefully made use of children’s clothing. Blackwood selects models that aren’t bought in outlets in the Flathead Valley in an exertion to present far more variety to her buyers and differentiate the retailer from what is previously offered below.
“Our aim is to focus on bringing in products that you simply cannot invest in locally,” she claimed. “We look to choose up makes that men and women have obtained out of town or on the web. It also has to be in nearly like-new condition.”
Measurements assortment from preemie to youth added-large. The larger area in the new location has authorized the shop to expand the amount of greater measurements carried and it has also authorized the retail outlet to add maternity dresses to the mix.
Mixed in with the carefully utilized clothing are other youngsters-connected goods like publications, toys and diaper bags. There’s also a collection of new things like hats and sun shades, but those people are also chosen in maintaining with being funds-conscious.
“People usually assume when they come into a consignment retailer they’ll have to weed via 30 objects to locate a single superior item, but below all the things is very good and it’s effectively structured,” Blackwood stated. “We’re a consignment boutique — when persons come through the doorway they’re typically pleasantly surprised by what they find since we have a various vibe.”
For consignors, the earnings are break up 50% involving the consignor and 50% amongst the shop. Payments are issued month-to-month to consignors, and Blackwood would make an effort to continue to keep all related objects in the retailer priced in the same way.
Helen Dean is located inside of Kalispell Middle Mall at 20 N. Key St. The shop is open Tuesday by means of Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For far more information and facts, 406-300-1342.
Options Editor Heidi Desch might be arrived at at 758-4421 or [email protected].
