‘I was getting overloaded again’
Debbie Noel Fashions expanding, reopening next month
Debbie Noel Fashions in Liverpool will look a bit different come February.
But the difference is a positive one.
Announced Dec. 28 on its Facebook page, the new and used clothing shop will be expanding into the back of its current building on Main Street. Until then the store is closed for renovations, with plans to reopen next month.
“I have a lot of people who like to clean out their closets and so I get a lot of phone calls. It got to the point where I was getting overloaded again,” says store owner Debbie Noel.
“We have some extra space behind where my store is, and so I said to my husband, ‘can we expand?' and he said, ‘Well, I certainly think we can, because in this market not a lot of people are looking for retail space now.'”
With a larger space, Noel says she can keep clothing and other items out yearround as opposed to being confined to one season.
This isn't the only time Debbie Noel Fashions has expanded since opening in 2011. The store was originally located on Market Street, opening after another clothing business closed.
Noel and her husband owned the building in question and decided to continue with the shop instead of offering to lease it out.
Within a few years, it was time for a change.
“I thought it would be more of a hobby thing for me,” says Noel, adding the couple also own their current building. “The premises that I had on Market Street was in our in one of the buildings, but it's a very small location. In three years, it really expanded, so I told my husband and I need bigger premises … it's been wonderful.”
While the main focus and initial idea was on women's clothing, this aspect of the business changed as well.
“It's kind of morphed; it was strictly women's clothing, but it's grown into (things like) accessories with purses and shoes and jewelry,” she says. “And then there are other things like handcrafted items and gift wear.”
She also tries to find items that are in demand in the community. She says, for example, when Liverpool Value Plus closed, she started bringing in women's underwear as there aren't many clothing stores in the area.
“Another reason (for shopping at) consignment shops and second-hand shops is you can find something that nobody else might have in your community; it's a one-of-a-kind shopping,” she says.
“I've had young women come in over the years looking for a prom dress and they could shop online or (go) to a bigger store, but they might see somebody at the prom with the same dress. You come to a secondhand shop or a consignment shop, and you'll find a dress that nobody else will have.”
As for her hobby turned long-standing business, Noel says she owes success to community support.
“More and more people (are) deciding to shop local, so anything that I can do to make people come into my store, then I'm going to do that,” she says. “That's one of the reasons why I was able to expand, which is great.”
Noel isn't sure how she'll celebrate February's reopening as there might be different pandemic restrictions in place, but she'll post an update to the shop's Facebook page with more details.
For more on Debbie Noel Fashions, visit: facebook. com/debbienoelwomensusednewfashions/