THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 6, 1996 TAG: 9603050122
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Business
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SMITHFIELD LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
An Emporia retailer is about to open his second ladies' boutique this week, and he chose downtown Smithfield because he thinks the area is poised for growth.
The Main Affair is scheduled to open for business at 10 a.m. Thursday at 202 Main St. The ladies' boutique will specialize in what owner Ronnie Williams calls ``moderate to better'' women's clothing: handmade sweaters, dresses, sportswear, hats and unusual jewelry.
Williams' original store, also called Main Affair, is in Emporia, where he and his family live.
``Our prices are a little higher than somewhere like Hecht's,'' he says. ``We can't compete with those department stores. We don't even try.''
But Williams says Main Affair is small enough to be able to offer customers something larger stores just can't provide: individualized service.
``We are very, very customer-oriented, . . . and we do a lot of extras to make sure our customers are totally satisfied. We like to get to know our customers and find out exactly what their likes and dislikes are.''
Getting to know customers and their fashion tastes makes it easier to find the clothing styles, colors and designs they prefer, Williams says. Once he knows what customers like, he says, he shops trade shows with them in mind. If an outfit comes in what he thinks will appeal to a specific customer, he'll pull it aside and call her.
And if a customer calls looking for a particular kind of dress, he might deliver several possibilities to her home if she can't get down to the store. After trying them on, she can buy what she likes and bring the rest back to the store.
Williams worked as a merchandise buyer at the Thalhimers Department Store in Richmond for several years, leaving in 1983 to take over his family's logging business in the Emporia area. But retail was in his blood, and in 1989 Williams opened Main Affair in downtown Emporia, in Greensville County.
That store thrived, so much so that Williams decided to open a second store. An employee, Ruth Hobbs, told him to take a look at her hometown.
``When I started looking for a second location, Ruth suggested I think about Smithfield. I'd been to Smithfield before, but I'd never really looked at it from a retail standpoint.
``There is a need for my type of store in Smithfield,'' Williams says. ``With the growth that is going on in Isle of Wight County and the way merchants here are trying to beautify downtown, I feel good about coming here.'' by CNB