Apr. 28, 2007 — Nestled in a far corner of Gallows Bay is a little shop full of big brand names at medium-sized prices.
Cabana Girl gets its "gently used" high-end fashions straight from the closets of St. Croix residents and resells them for more than half the original price.
"People buy things and don't wear them, or they buy it without trying it on and it doesn't fit," says owner Lori Adams, a native of Washington State. The island seemed to need a store that provided high-end and high-quality clothing at affordable prices, she says. "I like these places when I go to shop," Adams says. "In Washington, there's one every 10 miles." To fill that void on St. Croix, Adams decided to open a consignment shop on the island.
Adams stocks clothing for women and men from all over the world. She says she gets a lot of eclectic pieces from different eras, including the 1980s, and many retro and vintage pieces. The small store is bursting with handbags by Kate Spade, slacks by Eddie Bauer and sandals by Coach.
"There is always something new, because they only stay for three to four months," Adams says. "It's fun to get things you don't see every day, and on the island shopping can be costly."
The store first receives clothes, shoes or accessories from an individual. Then Adams examines the pieces to ensure the condition of the product. The individual provides her with the original purchase price and she then goes online to determine a reasonable price. "If an Ann Taylor dress is originally $200, the dress would start at $100," she says.
Once the product has been in the store for two months, the product is knocked down 25 percent. By the third month another 50 percent gets chopped off the price. The pieces are often one of a kind, and the energetic Adams describes them as "girly and fun."
Individuals who sell their products to the store receive 40 percent of the purchase price and Cabana Girl retains the rest. The clothing doesn't have to be name brand, Adams says, although she will not accept clothing purchased from retailers like Marianne or Rainbow because the products are already marked down.
Where do the products go when they have outlived their life in Cabana Girl? The consignee may take the clothes back and donate them how they see fit, but most encourage Adams to donate the products herself. She currently donates the items to the Animal Shelter and the Women's Coalition, but is open to finding other organizations to donate her unsold products. "Our stuff is nice and still wearable," she says, adding that she encourages any organization looking for donated items to contact her at the store.
The store has been open for one year and Adams is finally getting ready for her grand opening sale, tentatively scheduled for sometime in May. She hadn't planned a grand opening earlier because she wanted to see if the store would do well, Adams says. "I am having a lot of fun," she says. "It has taken a long time to get here, but I am here."
Cabana Girl also offers a tanning bed for residents who want that perfect tan. "It's great to get your base tan on before you get in the sun and burn," she says. Tanning bed sessions cost $1 per minute, and Adams says the bed is a great for that 20-minute power nap during the day.
Cabana Girl is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information on how to become a consignee or to contact Lori Adams about donations, call 778-GIRL.
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