Fifi's Fine Resale Apparel

Challenge

Lauren Calderazzo has been in the retail industry for 15 years.  She has worked in everything from sales/management in high-end boutiques to corporate retail overseeing 20+ stores and already had one successful Fifi’s franchise operating in Durham in her portfolio.  Lauren was looking to expand her ownership with a second location in Raleigh. 

Lauren contacted Shane and the two met at the Durham store to assess current needs and expectations.  Shane also wanted to get a feel for the store, as replicating the look and feel of Lauren’s Durham boutique in Raleigh would be a necessity.  The Raleigh location would also need to be large enough to house Lauren’s entire inventory. 

Strategic Action

After several meetings, Shane found an ideal space in Raleigh’s popular Cameron Village.  The center’s six blocks of tree-lined walks and one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants, and cafes offer people 'a living experience' reflecting a simpler time.  Cameron Village is strategically located in the heart of Raleigh and convenient to the dynamic and growing downtown area.  It is in the midst of an established, affluent community and within walking distance of North Carolina State University and its college population of 32,000.

Affordable, upscale women’s apparel on consignment was an untapped market in Cameron Village, and Shane knew that Fifi’s would fill that niche.  The only concern was the size of the space.  Shane worked directly with the landlord’s broker to negotiate a deal with was affordable for Fifi’s in order to help Lauren stay within her budget.

Results

Fifi’s of Cameron Village is now in a 2,795-square foot space and is scheduled to open in mid-June.  Given the current popularity of the Durham location coupled with the positive reputation Lauren has established in the marketplace and the ideal location, it seems a certainty that Fifi’s of Cameron Village is destined to be another success story.