A longtime Arlington boutique not long ago hosted “Stylish in Shirlington,” an occasion for regional gals to product its clothing soon after looking at a decrease in buyers in the course of the pandemic.
Sheyla’s Luxury Boutique has been a portion of the Arlington group for 16 decades, but above the past couple months, Sheyla Voye, operator of the boutique, hasn’t seen a lot of of her shoppers.
“I have a ton of consumers that obtain from me, but not even 5% of those people persons are coming simply because people are not in the have to have of garments,” explained Voye. “Because of the pandemic, no one now is likely to work. Most of my business enterprise was functioning due to the fact men and women were heading to do the job, gatherings, dinners, galas — and however because all of that has not been permitted yet, it is getting to be to be really tough and hard.”
“Chic in Shirlington,” hosted previously this thirty day period, referred to as for girls in Arlington to design Sheyla’s outfits in front of the Shirlington fountain.
“Sheyla’s Luxury Boutique seeks styles to celebrate as we occur securely outside the house again. We welcome buddy groups, sisters, mom/daughter duos or arrive on your very own! Really do not you pass up dressing up to go out,” the occasion listing explained.
Products were being ready to attempt on clothes, get their hair and make-up finished, stroll the runway, just take shots and obtain a gift certificate to the retail outlet.
Kim Honor Matkovsky, a Waverly Hills resident and loyal Sheyla’s customer, claimed the function brought jointly females of “all designs, ages, styles” in a celebration of fashion — and the retailer.
“Sheyla… is a phenom,” she advised ARLnow. “I have been a buyer for 16 yrs and am striving to enable her to weather this financial storm.”
“The Boutique is what Loehmann’s used to be: a pleasurable and satisfying treasure hunt for women of all ages who needed good quality and fashion with out the price tag,” Matkovsky wrote. “And Sheyla is the special sauce.”
Considering the fact that the pandemic begun, Voye has faced quite a few difficulties which includes moving destinations in Shirlington and shedding workers.
“I utilized to be on Campbell Avenue before going to one more constructing. The [storefront] that I have now is a thirty day period-to-thirty day period lease, not a everlasting lease. Permanent leases are much too superior for me and I can not find the money for it,” reported Voye. “I’m operating practically by myself. Suitable now, I just cannot manage to have an employee and I’m operating seven days and at times it is exceptionally tiring. I have a household and I have small option to invest time with them.”
While Voye has faced quite a few difficulties, she mentioned she refuses to give up.
“It’s been difficult, but I’m however heading. I’m not keen to stop,” stated Voye.
“Sheyla has been knocked down, denied loans, missing her lease, and even ran her company out of a truck for a handful of years,” Matkovsky observed. “She is dogged by a deficiency of obtain to affected person, economical capital and has worked all-around concerns by using non permanent leases on retail house. Sheyla not too long ago paid off a small organization bank loan as a result of a nonprofit loan company that billed her 14% interest.”
“It requires a particular person to maintain battling,” she mentioned.