Local consignment clothing store owner Holly Mastrogiacomo takes her commitment to women and families seriously and has a lot of fun in the process.
“I just have a passion for helping women look good and feel good no matter what age or size while still being able to afford groceries,” said Mastrogiacomo. “When someone feels good about them self it’s just the most amazing feeling.”
She studied fashion merchandizing in college but was smitten with the world of fashion at a young age.
“I got introduced to Fashion TV with Jeanne Beker when I was really young and I always just loved that part of it,” said Mastrogiacomo. “You can’t imagine the smile when someone is wearing an outfit that they feel so good in.”
As a working mother of two teens she knows how hard it can be to stay in style and on budget and for the last six years has even carried local school uniforms.
Her knowledge of fashion and her relationship with her customers and the community has allowed her to build a loyal client base in a highly competitive business.
“I think there are so many clothes out there that there is no need to buy new,” she said. “The difference between thrift and consignment is that we curate. It needs to be in impeccable condition. We steam clean it and we ask that the clothes be freshly laundered when they come in.”
Consigners are paid 40 per cent of the retail price when the items are sold and often turn around and buy something they find in the store.
“We are specifically picking pieces from the consigners for people who shop in our store,” Mastrogiacomo. “When we see a piece come in we say oh yah, so and so would like that.”
Her “see a need, fill a need” philosophy extends beyond her retail business to local charities with initiatives such as Tampon Tuesday.
“We want to make sure women don’t have to choose between feminine hygiene products and food,” she said. “When they drop off the products here we thank them by giving them a discount and their name goes into a ballot for a store gift card. We’ve helped a lot of women and parents. It’s like a circle, right.”
