Style Encore comes to Clifton Park Center
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. >> New store Style Encore is making its debut at Clifton Park Center, offering local women a new way to shop.
Style Encore is a women’s apparel franchise that buys and sells gently used women’s casual and business clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories.
The new Clifton Park Style Encore, the first in the Capital Region, is owned and operated by local mother-daughter entrepreneurial team Rhonda McMasterAllendorph and her daughter Mehgan McMaster.
The pair first broke into the fashion retail business in December of 2017 when they opened the Clifton Park Plato’s Closet, a similar store that carries trendy secondhand clothing for teens and young adults.
When McMaster was 16 years old, she got her first job working at Plato’s Closet and decided she wanted to own one someday. So, she studied business and earned her bachelor’s degree, with a goal of making that happen.
McMaster’s mom, who also
has a career as an intensive care unit nurse, hopped on board as well to help her daughter pursue her dream.
With the Clifton Park Plato’s Closet doing so well in its first year, M cM aster All end or ph and McMaster made the decision to expand by opening a second store, Style Encore.
In their new endeavor, Style Encore is meant to appeal to a different market of buyers and sellers, with a focus on higher-end brands and styles for professional women. While operating the local Plato’s Closet, the owners noticed a demand for a store of this kind, so they took the steps to meet it.
Style Encore is currently open for buying only. Locals are encouraged to bring in their new or gently used apparel to help the store build up its inventory before its official opening day for shoppers.
Those interested in selling clothes should bring them in freshly laundered and not on hangers. “We go through everything. We check it for style and condition,” McMaster-Allendorph explained. Then, they enter it into a database that generates a quote.
Style Encore offers the seller that quote, which can be accepted or denied. Cash is paid on the spot. Any items the store does not want, the seller takes back.
“We buy all seasons, all year,” McMaster-Allendorph said, noting that the store buys a variety of brands “from Old Navy to Louis Vuitton.”
Style Encore is especially seeking current styles from brand names such as Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Loft, Michael Kors, Nine West, and Talbots.
With this new store, the Style Encore aims to help shoppers stretch their dollar while offering a product that can help women feel confident in professional clothing for job and college interviews, in a little black dress for a special night out and everything in between.
On the other hand, Style Encore helps sellers get extra money in their pocket and recycle their clothes. “It encourages people to clean out their closets,” McMaster-Allendorph said, “give those things away that you know you’re never going to use.”
She added, “It’s a winwin for everyone.”
Looking ahead to the future of the business, McMaster-Allendorph and McMaster aim to provide what shoppers are looking for while giving back to the community, as they do with Plato’s Closet.
Style Encore’s grand opening celebration is next weekend when the store will begin selling in addition to buying.
From Thursday, March 28 through Sunday, March 31, the store will raffle off Michael Kors bags and gift cards while offering food and refreshments including mimosas.
The business, which is located in the Clifton Park Center mall near Marshalls/ HomeGoods and the food court, is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Those looking to sell items can come in anytime. No appointment is necessary.
The store can be contacted by calling 518-6305730. More information about Style Encore is located at style-encorecliftonpark.com and www.facebook.com/ styleencorecliftonparkny.