‘Downtown Divas’ Bring Touch of Class to Historic Farmville, Virginia

It takes a woman’s touch, they say, and the touch of six savvy businesswomen in Farmville, Virginia, has helped bring high-class elegance to this one-time farm town.

Farmville, VA (PRWEB) December 4, 2005 -- Dubbed the “Downtown Divas” by a local disc jockey, these women meet weekly to mull over how to improve their stores and the town in general. All six sell top-of-the-line merchandise in quaint Main Street stores, combining small-town friendly service with fifth-avenue quality. Fashion clothes, high-end carpet, home fashions, fine jewelry, formalwear, and handmade cherry and oak furniture, entice upscale shoppers who have discovered a shopping mecca in an unlikely place.

Where do the shoppers come from? From all over the state and even beyond, thanks in large part to Green Front Furniture, Farmville’s claim to fame. Green Front’s 15 buildings (with over 650,000 square feet of showrooms) give strong testament to the transformation of this town, for most are converted from huge tobacco warehouses. But if shoppers come for Green Front, they stay to explore the surprising variety of boutiques, many owned by the Downtown Divas.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize how many unique shops we have in Farmville,” said Rosa Mann, owner of The Ivy Trellis “We have things you just cannot find at other stores.”

Carol Broadwater, owner of Amish Originals, sells furniture made by her extended family in Holmes County, Ohio. Solid cherry and oak pieces offer lasting beauty, transcending short-lived popular styles. Similarly, Sandy Henderson of Rug Rats makes one-of-a-kind custom rugs that have garnered national attention. Her designs range from Picasso to Matisse, true art for the floor. Rosa Mann offers exclusive interior design through The Ivy Trellis along with gifts for the home.

Christie Bailey, another interior decorator, has ventured into upscale clothing with The Fashion Post, vying with New York City’s best. Caryn Kayton owns one of Virginia’s largest bridal and formalwear salons. Prom goers can select from a huge array, including the gown Julia Roberts wore to the Emmys and the dress from the movie How to Lose a Guy. Margaret Atkins of Atkins Jewelry offers perfect gems and jewelry, especially pearls, her specialty.

Instead of competing for consumer dollars, as perhaps men owners would do, these women compliment each other and work together for their mutual benefit. They’ve connected their stores through common brochures, fliers, internet pages, and even cross merchandising. They believe they have unlimited potential for growth, both by enticing new shoppers to the area and by pushing internet sales, which take their unique offerings to the world. “The basis of the group is to help each other,” said Margaret Atkins. “There’s no jealousy going on.”

The same Scandinavian designer makes hand-painted sheets for Rosa Mann’s store and designer rugs for Sandy Henderson’s store. You can get find both items on either web site. Rug Rats also displays braided rugs that you buy at… Amish Originals! And Amish Originals, in turn, borrows linens from The Ivy Trellis to add to furniture displays. “We set a table with Rosa’s linens and somebody bought the whole thing, the table and the linens,” said Carol Broadwater. Also, Green Front Accessories lends rugs and furniture for display at The Fashion Post.

The Downtown Divas extend the woman’s touch beyond their own stores. They’re working to upscale the entire town. Sandy Henderson helps organize First Fridays, a monthly outdoor concert with attractions for families held by the picturesque Appomattox River, and Margaret Atkins helped initiate a downtown Thanksgiving Parade.

In the fiercely competitive world of retail sales, the Downtown Divas are exploring new ways of doing business, relying on close relationships, mutual encouragement, impeccable taste, and that personal touch that marks a successful boutique. They are adding a whole new dimension to Main Street USA.

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