Maddie P Boutique and Kels & Faith Company got a jump start on Black Friday sales by opening at 7:00 pm on Thanksgiving. The strategy paid off. Way before the doors opened, a long line of shoppers was already waiting despite the chill and rain.
The two boutiques share store space at 126 Pendleton Street. The partnership has worked well for both. They moved together from Warrenville to Aiken in March of this year. Jessica Gaskins, the owner of Maddie P’s, attracts customers from 17 to 70. Kelsey Cook’s Kels & Faith caters to a slightly younger audience. Both offer chic, comfortable clothing, and accessories.
“We bounce ideas off of each other and Kelsey is great at social media which has helped our business grow,” explained Gaskins.
According to Forbes, social media is integral to the customer experience because it builds an online community. Boutiques connect like-minded customers over a mutual interest in fashion using live video and Facebook groups. Gaskins rounds out the successful business partnership with life experience. It’s a winning combination.
“I started Maddie P three years ago to support my kids and because I couldn’t find clothes to fit my tween daughter. I had a hundred dollars in my pocket and my first place in Warrenville was about the size of a broom closet. But I reached out to people I had grown up with and went to school with and they supported me.”
Symbolism through family, friends, and customers has shaped the business in the past three years. Maddie P is named for Gaskins’ daughter, Madison. Her shop is painted pink, “Hello Dolly” pink to be exact in honor of her mother, Dolly. There is a painting of Dolly Parton she found at the Aiken Center for the Arts that graces the wall above a pink sofa. The Dolly painting has been joined by huge artworks of rappers Lil Wayne, a customer favorite especially among older shoppers, and Tupac.
“We strive to offer great fashion choices and to provide a down-to-earth atmosphere, the artwork is just a part of that. I want people to feel like they are walking into their mom’s house.”
Even if your mother doesn’t have Dolly or Lil Wayne on the wall, moms are always there to listen. That’s a skill that Gaskins has down pat. When customers are going through a divorce, having a baby, or any other life changes, Gaskins knows and checks up on them because “I care about them and love them like family.”
Besides a listening ear, Gaskins and Cook have partnered with other small businesses to provide a bonus while shopping. Carsen Grice, the owner of The Bakery Barn, had Christmas cookies on hand for Small Business Saturday. Joey Blackwell from Mac Daddy Macarons occasionally pops in to sell his delicious, sweet treats.
Boutiques are big business in Aiken, in other words, there’s a lot of competition. Maddie P and Kels & Faith have found their tribe and worked with other shops. The boutique world is built on the philosophy of community over competition. There’s a real collaboration among the business owners. Many sell the same brands, but they all bring their unique personality and style to their customers.
The market size, measured by revenue, of the clothing boutique industry, is $22 billion as of 2022. Small is the new “big box,” and boutiques across the country are cashing in. It’s been reported by many media outlets that the success of Amazon would be the death of retail.
Boutiques fill a need Amazon doesn’t. Amazon is functional and useful when we know what we want. But there’s a difference between buying and shopping, and Amazon does not address the shopping experience. Boutiques like Maddie P and Kels & Faith not only address the customers’ needs, but create a personal experience that online giants like Amazon never will. After all, Gaskins and Cook probably know you, your mother, or your daughter.
Both shops have websites but your best bet for the scoop on events or sales is to follow them on Facebook, Maddie P Boutique, and Kels & Faith Company.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means!
If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
