THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 29, 1995 TAG: 9511280104
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: EARNING A LIVING IN VIRGINIA BEACH
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
When a routine shopping trip turned into a disaster, Lynn Muir vowed never to take her children shopping again.
And now, she doesn't have to.
She came up with her own business, Children's Closet's, where she brings kiddie clothing directly to the customer.
It's a concept she wishes she had thought of before her 5-year-old son, J.W., and 2-year-old daughter, Jaclyn, decided to play hide and seek in a major department store last year.
``I called security and they shut the store down and everyone was looking,'' said Muir, recalling the incident from her Nimmo Courts home. ``I was giving descriptions and was about ready to crawl under a rock and die when someone called their name and they jumped out and said, `Boo!' They were hiding under a mannequin table.''
It wasn't long after that fiasco that Muir thought up her business idea.
``The goal, or objective, was to provide women a service to make their lives a little bit easier,'' said Muir, 32.
She brings clothes directly to the home, business or wherever the customer wants.
Customers call to set up an appointment and give the child's size. Muir arrives with 10 to 15 different outfits in the appropriate sizes.
Children are allowed and encouraged to try on the items on the spot.
Muir buys the namebrand clothes, such as Oshkosh, J.G. Hook and Polly Flinders, wholesale from distributors. Her markup is 30 percent of the wholesale price, which still gives customers a good bargain, she said.
She carries two combined seasons of clothing - fall and winter and spring and summer - for infants to size 7. The clothes are all occasion - dressy or casual. Muir also offers baby shower gifts, which are wrapped free.
Since officially opening in June, she has served some 400 customers and averaged $26,000 in equivalent retail sales.
In fact, a good deal of her winter clothing has been sold and she's already ordered clothes for the spring and summer.
One concept that Muir has added to her business is at-home parties. The party hostess gathers a dozen or so women to buy the clothing that Muir brings. The hostess then receives a discount on clothing for having the party.
When Muir and her husband, John, began investigating her idea they spent nearly four months approaching clothing factories to get wholesale prices.
Her first spring and summer order was for $5,000 in clothing. Her most recent order was for $12,000.
``I figured if the idea didn't work we'd be having one big garage sale,'' said Muir, a Maine native who worked as a nurse for eight years before having her children.
Muir's overhead has been what she projected - the payment on her minivan, which she needs to transport the clothes, and about $100 a month for materials such as fliers.
She plans for two clothing deliveries a day, allowing just enough time to work while her two children are in preschool.
``I really wished someone would have come to my house so I could shop,'' said Muir. ``Now, the business has provided me with a brand new vehicle and provided my children with clothes at a very good price. As well, it's an opportunity to be in the business world and still be home for my kids.''
Muir hopes to expand her clothing business up to children's size 14 and may even design her own clothing line one day. MEMO: The Children's Closet's can be reached by calling 430-1445.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by CHARLIE MEADS
At Children's Closet's, Lynn Muir brings 10 to 15 different outfits
in the appropriate size directly to the home, business or wherever
the customer wants. Muir buys the namebrand clothes, such as
Oshkosh, J.G. Hook and Polly Flinders, wholesale from distributors.
Her markup is 30 percent of the wholesale price.
by CNB