New business offers plus-size clothing options in downtown Augusta
Diana Mejia was stunned to see the reaction her new moreover-dimension garments keep has gotten given that opening two months in the past.
“This is for all people who is in addition-dimensions, who requires dresses but doesn’t know how to go purchasing, who are intimidated to go to even larger chain merchants,” she stated. “They needed an very affordable plus-dimension retail store in the group, somewhere wherever they could experience cozy with prices and really feel comfortable with the design and style of clothing.”
Mejia opened Graciously Special Boutique LLC at 218 Eight St. on June 5 and more than 3,500 folks have preferred her Fb web page. A publish Mejia produced on the Join Augusta Facebook Group has far more than 3,000 likes, 500 responses and 1,000 shares.
“I was stunned when I place the publish on Connect Augusta. I didn’t even believe I was likely to get 20 likes,” she said. “When I at first designed my small business webpage on Fb, I didn’t believe it was going to go viral. I just preferred it to be one particular of the most important sources of conversation.”
She acquired messages from consumers thanking her for opening a additionally-dimension clothing retailer. She began to order more outfits to have for her new clientele.
Candace Gonger noticed a Facebook publish about the new retail store and determined to halt by and invest in a several items. She feels a retailer like this was needed in Augusta.
“A large amount of retailers cater to scaled-down measurements but it really is refreshing to have a retailer exactly where I can shop in my dimensions and really feel at ease and be somewhere the place I can basically go and interact with other folks,” Gonger said.
She claimed Mejia gave her a warm welcome and she strategies to stop by once more. She said a lot more plus-sizing merchants are desired to get rid off the unfavorable stereotype of even bigger bodies.
“A large amount of periods, the stereotype is that people that have on greater sizes, never know how to gown or there is nowhere for them to costume due to the fact no one particular needs to provide clothing for individuals sizes,” Gonger claimed. “It surely aids to combat that stigma.”
At first, Mejia was going to emphasis on organization and church attire but commenced to understand how a lot of a total require there was for additionally-dimensions outfits in the Augusta place.
“My eyesight is not just for business enterprise attire any longer. It’s just in typical. It is not just heading to be the trendy garments, it is not just heading to be the classy clothing, it’s heading to be for absolutely everyone in the moreover-size local community,” she explained.
Mejia moved with her household from Florida to Augusta in February. As shortly as she moved, she commenced to think of points to invest in and determined a furthermore-dimensions shop was the way to go.
She picked downtown due to the fact she observed an chance to be aspect of the progress in downtown. She also appreciated the locale mainly because of the Saturday Farmers Current market nearby that could draw in opportunity shoppers.
She hopes women feel comfortable coming into her store and she can go on to present clothes possibilities.
“I want whoever arrives into my retailer to truly feel relaxed and not say, ‘Is there a as well as-size area?’ No, this is your section, this is your shop,” she said.
Graciously Special Boutique is open up Monday as a result of Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.