Oak Harbor fashionistas may find themselves giddy Saturday at the thought of re-stocking their closets with spring’s latest styles.
A fashion hub for the teens and twenty-somthings of the island for over 26 years, Maurices clothing store will unveil not only new fashions for spring, but its own updated look at an official grand re-opening celebration.
The longtime Pioneer Way establishment’s store manager, Linda Roberts, isn’t concerned about the upcoming downtown revitalization and the store has no special plans to keep business buzzing during the construction phase, which is slated to start in January 2011.
“We’ve got very loyal customers,” she said. “We’ve been in this location for so long and we love this community. We plan to stay.”
Two years ago when the city replaced an old Pioneer Way water main, business was tough and parking was hard, but Maurices made it though.
“We’re a destination location,” Roberts said. “Our customers still found parking and made it into the store.”
Roberts expects loyal customers will do the same during the downtown revitalization effort and the ensuing conversion to a one-way street.
Just in time for spring — with nine months to go before the Pioneer Way makeover — Maurices underwent a dramatic transformation of its own.
“We have created a trendy yet sophisticated atmosphere that’s a bit more feminine,” she said.
The old dressing rooms, located along the side walls, were knocked out and moved to a central location in the back of the store. The wall color changed from dark tan to “meander blue,” an airy, pastel hue.
The new dressing rooms (five in all) have doors and plush benches, amenities lacking in the former rooms. Each changing space has its own unique blue-hued wallpaper and special overhead light. For example, one room has a chandelier and another features a mosaic-style fixture.
“Customers want their friends’ input, so we’ve added lounge-type seating so friends can hang out in there and give instant feedback,” Roberts said of the posh dressing room benches.
The re-opening celebration will take place today, Saturday, April 10, 11 a.m. at Maurices, 721 SE Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor.
Call Maurices at 679-2312 for more information.
