Progress

January 18, 2010

Sold on a young women’s clothing store

Entrepreneur likes downtown site’s potential

EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent

WILKES-BARRE – A new business that has come to the downtown started, as most enterprises do, as the dream of a budding entrepreneur.

Twenty Something Consignment and Boutique is Wilkes-Barre resident Jessica Gabel’s dream forged into reality with the tried-and-true combination of hard work and determination.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new shop at 6 Northampton St. will be at noon, Feb. 2, with Mayor Thomas Leighton on hand.

The 24-year-old said she decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship while she was young.

“I do not have other obligations right now, such as a family,” she said. “Why not try at your dreams?”

Finding the shop’s location was the first big hurdle to get over. Gabel said she wanted to be in the downtown area because of its growth and the people being drawn there.

“I wanted the location to be close to home, and in the downtown area.” Gabel said.

She said she hopes being so close to the Wilkes-Barre YMCA, Movies 14, King’s College and Wilkes University will aid her business. Gabel said she had noticed a need for clothing stores for young women in the downtown.

The “open” sign was hung on the door for the first time on Tuesday. Inside the store, any diva would be comfortable. A row of various shades of faded blue jeans meets your glance. Brightly colored blouses beg for attention.

Jewelry is displayed near the dressing room, and shelves of shoes are right around the corner.

Store hours aim to make browsing convenient: Tuesdays, Wednesday and Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; closed Sundays and Mondays. Extended hours are offered Thursday because that will be her sale day, Gabel said.

Gabel said she thanks all her friends for helping her during various stages of the business development. She said her close friend Sarah Hoholo helped with the interior design, while other friends cleaned out their closets to provide the merchandise and helped with marketing and with renovating the shop space.

“The hardest thing has been lack of sleep,” Gabel said, “trying to do all of this while working.”

Being environmentally conscious, Gabel said clothes on consignment give people an opportunity to recycle clothes they do not wear and make a bit of money, too.

“We are giving our consigners 50 percent back from what is sold,” Gabel said. “We accept items by appointment only.”

But, she said, she hopes to offer more to customers than just clothes. Gabel wants to give local artists the chance to sell their own goods such as jewelry and other hand-made items.

She also said she plans to sell candles and hopes to sell “green” products.

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