This Week’s Intimate Discovery: A big risk pays off for a Maryland lingerie entrepreneur
Location, Location, Location; The first lesson I learned as a merchant is that nothing is as important to the success of a retail operation as its location. It’s not only where you position product in the store, it’s also all about where the store is situated. That is why when I spoke with partners Patti Platt and Sharon Borland, owners of A La Mode Intimates in Annapolis, Maryland about the current success of their new store I was very impressed with their courage, particularly in this economy. In January 2011, they took the leap and moved their 7 year old boutique from its downtown historic location focused on tourism to a new venue in an outside shopping center replete with businesses that nurture like-minded consumers. Only a 5 minute drive from the old site, their business has completely turned around realizing healthy volume increases. It was not an easy decision, “quite scary” I was told, but now this upscale bra fitting shop has just won a small business owner’s award for the extra consumer value it has contributed to the retail environment. And A La Mode is reaping the rewards!
