Breaking Up Is Hard To Do...Keith Street Location Closing Sept 28, 2024
Neil Sedaka sure knew what he was saying when he sang "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do". That's exactly how I feel about leaving our Keith Street location after 24 memory-filled years. That location served us well for over 2 decades, but we simply outgrew the space. So basically 2520 Keith Street...it's not you, it's us!
Like many relationships we stayed long past our expiration date. We outgrew the space long before we made the decision to move March of 2022. Quite frankly, I was always scared to move. What if the grass is not greener on the other side? What if I make the wrong decision? If it's working, don't break it, right? But to be honest, the space just really wasn't working anymore. It was a stressful environment to work and maneuver in due to lack of space. So when the unexpected opportunity came about to relocate our main store downtown to 120 Inman Street, I jumped on it. We went from 2400 cramped sq feet to 8300 sq feet, which allowed us to offer consignment for the entire family along with home decor, and formalwear all under one roof! We were still in a lease at the Keith Street location, so we decided to run it as our Clearance Center for the remainder of the lease. Well, we are sad to say, but our lease is up.
With every break up tears are shed, memories are revisited, and hopes of a new future brighten your day. And all of this is true with this break up. Tears have definitely been shed in this decision. It wasn't only a business decision, but it felt personal. I purchased my store when I was 24 years old, and knew nothing about consignment or owning a business. As a business owner, I felt like I "grew up" in this store. Over 2 decades I have built lasting relationships with my Colony Square property manger and business neighbors. My daughter had her first job in this store, as so did my niece, and many friends' teenagers. This location was the first place my granddaughter at age 4 picked up a clipboard and while tapping her pen against it yelled "workers, workers, get to work". (I promise you; I have no clue where she got that from! LOL!) Blood, sweat, and tears went into our Keith St location. And this is not a figure of speech. Some of our remodeling jobs at the location didn't go so smoothly; and literally resulted in blood, sweat, and tears.
Have you ever ended a relationship, and all your friends say, "but we loved them"? Well, we loved the Clearance Center too! We had fun working it, and our customers had fun shopping it! So we may be saying good-bye to our long term residency on Keith Street, but that does not mean we are saying good-bye to the idea of a clearance center. Plans are to add a clearance center to our location on Inman Street possibly in Spring 2025. Till then, each store will house its own clearance items, and we promise even more markdowns than before!
And while tears are being shed and hopes of new futures are promised, I can't help but smile at all the memories, successes, and laughs we have enjoyed in that location. Sure, we experience all of that at our other locations, but you never forget your first love. 2520 Keith Street, we will always have the memories! xoxo- Shelly
What better way to celebrate the end of an era than with an amazing Bag Sale! Come see us on our last weekend, and stuff a bag full!
