Owners of Wendy clothing boutique in Ann Arbor's Nickels Arcade to open 2nd store
Wendy Chapman and Johnny Vaughn, owners of Wendy clothing boutique in Ann Arbor’s Nickels Arcade, plan to debut another store this month.
The 333-square-foot store, called Johnny, will be located in a neighboring space in the same covered shopping district on the edge of the University of Michigan's Diag in downtown Ann Arbor. The space was formerly occupied by the store Ionnia.
The owners of Wendy in Nickels Arcade are opening a new store called Johnny across the hall.
Lizzy Alfs | AnnArbor.com
“People love [Comfy USA],” he said. “We can’t get enough of it, which is why we’re taking it across the hall.”
He added: “That will allow us to take Wendy and expand on lines, such as Eileen Fisher petites, if we have room for it.”
Vaughn described the California-based Comfy USA brand as having an “urban chic” feel with its crinkle tissue and linen fabrics. Popular products include tunics, cardigans and scarves.
The new store will also carry accessories and it will cater to the same demographic as Wendy -- professional women -- but at just a slightly lower price point.
Clothing at Wendy ranges from $50 to $600, and he said Johnny will likely range from $30 to $300.
“Our whole mission is to make sure women have beautiful, classic clothes that build wardrobes,” Vaughn said. “We’re looking to carry stuff that has quality.”
Vaughn said everything in the Johnny space will be painted white, including the walls, clothing racks and picture frames, so that the clothing stands out as artwork. He said the new store will open by April 23 to coincide with Wendy’s one-year anniversary.
Vaughn, an artist with an extensive history in retail, and Chapman, a real estate appraiser, opened Wendy last year in the hopes of providing professional women in Ann Arbor with a place to shop for quality clothing.
Since then, Vaughn said the store has become a “destination spot” in the city.
“We didn’t know what to expect when we went into the store because of the economy,” he said. “Our store opened and women loved it. We’ve been very successful with our lines we carry and it’s been wonderful for the past year.”
Vaughn said he plans to hire additional part-time employees to work at the new store. They also plan to change Wendy’s hours to stay open until 7 p.m. instead of 6 p.m.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Maxwell
Wed, Apr 4, 2012 : 1:58 a.m.
They must be doing something right or they wouldn't be expanding. Its good to see a local shop thriving!
John Alan
Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 7:15 p.m.
Good to hear local stores are doing good and they are expanding. Good Luck and best wishes.
a2jean
Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 6:13 p.m.
I love "Wendy" (the store) and am delighted that "Johnny" will also have womens clothing (from the masculine name I thought it would be a mens store). I have some *beautiful* pieces from Wendy that I treasure, and look forward to visiting both stores soon.
ordmad
Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 2:24 p.m.
You get what you pay for. The question is what value do you get for your dollar. Like at Wendy, my guess is that you'll get a lot more for your dollar at Johnny then at Wal Mart and it won't be made in China.
jns131
Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 7:55 p.m.
At least as I am reading here? I can pan for gold but forget Johnny. He is too expensive for my budget. Besides, China is every where and cheap too. Give me cheap any day of the week. And yes, I do get what I pay for. My quality stretches are still hanging in there.
zags
Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 5:09 p.m.
Stretch pants woven with gold. Now there's value!
jns131
Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 2:01 p.m.
Who on earth is going to pay $600 for a pair of stretch pants? Give me Wal Mart any day of the week for comfy clothes. There is a lot I can do with $600. Ouch.