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Print this pageGO Getter: Sarah Shields
Sarah Shields Count Sarah Shields among those unfazed by the financial mess. The owner of Uptown Angels (1314 E. Battlefield Rd., 417-882-2645, shopuptownangels.com) boutique has a business plan built to whether the economy. A hybrid of a new-clothes boutique and an upscale resale shop, Uptown Angels features nothing more expensive than $100, most of it far cheaper than that. We recently chatted with the perky entrepreneur, 31, about life, cougar rings and fabulous jeans.
What’s the best deal in your store? A lady came in and sold me 10 pairs of brand new Rock & Republic jeans, which retail for $309 and I’m selling for $89. She just didn’t have time to eBay them.
What goes fastest? Jewelry. I can’t keep it in. The jeans go fast, too. My signature line is LTB by Little Big. They’re $99—the most expensive thing in the store.
So tell me about the cougar ring… [Laughing]. Oh, it’s a ring that looks like a cougar head, with green eyes. It’s our must-have accessory. A local radio personality bought one here, and then started talking about it on the air. We’ve had a bunch of people ask for them since then.
So it’s not for “cougars”? Well, not just for cougars.
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What does more business right now, resale or retail? I’d say maybe 60-40 resale. We make a girl feel like she’s in a boutique, especially if she’s looking for jeans or a shirt.
What are some other brands you have? William Rast, True Religion, all those brands [come in via resale]. A girl can buy $100 denim for $25, and have enough money left to buy a cute going-out top on the [retail] side.
Do you ever want to sell guys’ clothes? My dreams are huge. I’m going to fine-tune and hopefully franchise. The guy from Plato’s Closet came in here and I said “Don’t worry, it’ll be a few years before I franchise.”
