SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Customers will soon be able to browse a variety of high-end items, sold at a more affordable price, at a boutique-style consignment store preparing to open in Summerside.
Shawna Perry, owner of the Little Black Dress Co., said she plans to open the rented space located at 360 Water Street in early February.
“I do clothing style consultations, wedding styling and visit different businesses for a Lunch and Learn, so the idea for this store came from my background experience in fashion, retail, business and seeing a need in this community,” she said.
“I visit my female clients and they show me all their (valuable) items they plan to give away. It made me think, ‘there could be a consignment store in Summerside’. High-quality clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories or handbags for women – all in good condition – could be resold at a more affordable price.”
The name for the store, Little Black Dress Co., brings a timeless quality to mind, said Perry.
“The demand for consignment is much greater than I expected here in Summerside. I’m getting so much inventory that I will need to rotate the stock quite fast because while the items are good for this season, I have way too much for space. But the feedback from people has been amazing,” Perry added.
During an appointment with a client, Perry will authenticate the items and determine the current resale price. After the pricing is approved by both parties, the item will be placed in-store for sale.
“If I am given anything that I believe won’t fit the theme of the boutique and can’t be resold, I will donate it to charity, because there’s so much you can do with clothing. I met one woman that was going to throw her shirts away because one had a stain and the other a rip, so I took these items and made them into rags to be donated to car dealerships for cleaning.”
Perry said the motivation for the store is helping the environment to curb landfill waste.
“You’re not going to walk in and see a rack of shirts, it’s going to be very styled for the customer,” she said.
“And I would like to hire a member of staff soon, so I can have time off and continue – on the side – as a style consultant.”
The store opening times are still in the works, but Perry said she plans to be closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Bradley Cousins, Perry’s partner, said the idea for the store was planted years ago and has finally taken root after much hard work.
“I’m so proud of her launching this store. It’s hard to begin your own business, but she is doing something unique for Summerside, and there certainly is a need for the resale items from what we have seen so far.”
For more information, visit thelittleblackdressco.com.
