Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1999)
OCTOBER 1, 1999 5 business Spotlight t SUnelHey HHamisoini wasntts alfl wo mm e eh, irecjairdlless off GlhenEr sSnajpe amdl size, (to Hoolk amid ffeel ttflneiir Ibestt. 955 MARKET STREET SALEM, OREGON PHONE: (503)399-0674 FAX: (503)399-0715 HOURS: IVljTU, W, F 10-6; TH 10-8; SAT 1-4 www.bountifulsalem.com By Amanda Siestreem Responding to the surge in the fashion industry to upsize stylish clothing to fit the 49 of women who wear a size 14 or larger, Shelley Hanson is opening her own boutique on the 1st of October. Centrally located on 955 Market St. in Salem, Hanson and business partner Jane Grim will be opening a whole new market. The new store, named Bountiful, will feature svelte fashions for the full-figured females who are active both pro fessionally and socially. Bountiful will offer not only high end clothing to the working woman, but monthly informational evenings on how to dress for larger sizes and periodic customer make-overs. Hanson and Grim are accessing the clothing markets of Seattle, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Hanson said, "So many women work and are look ing for really good quality clothing. Thirteen years ago when I started to work for the Tribe, I went looking for a work suit and couldn't find a quality one in my size. Since that time it's been a dream to open a store for plus sizes." With the store, Hanson and Grim hope to raise self-esteem in full-figure women. Having worked for ONABEN as a counselor and instructor, and currently employed at Spirit Mountain Develop ment Corporation as Director of Real Estate Op erations, Hanson has the business savvy to recog nize a successful business proposal. Their plan is to price their merchandise in a similar range as Nordstrom, but create a more comfortable shop ping atmosphere. The boutique, combining a chic of contemporary iron work mannequin designs and the feminine charm of country flowers and heavy cotton and linen tapestry, is indeed a very inviting atmosphere. A far cry from the days of frumpy, ugly clothing and harsh lighting offered to most plus size women, Bountiful is designed to ease the senses. Hanson continues, "Big name designers wouldn't design bigger sizes but there has been such a revolution in fashion that we can say, Wre women, it doesn't matter where our bumps and curves are, it's okay to wear sensual, elegant fabrics at size 20.' Our aim is to get women to take risks." Eventually Hanson and her partner hope to have a chain of stores across the country, but to day their time is full of waiting for shipments of clothing, shopping bags with their personal logo, and organizing the displays. Hanson concludes, "I feel a responsibility as a Native Woman to give back. In business, to share 'ri ft it It- 'A r ; j f . ii i .. t 5 i H . I I - , M J I our successes as well as our failures, so that the next woman doesn't have to go through the same learning curve we did. That's what I enjoyed most about teaching with ONABEN. People come in real tentative, they have something that is sacred to them. Just putting it on the table is a big risk for them and a lot of them left feeling better about themselves, whether they started a business or not. I think we are going to have a lot of opportunities like that here at Bountiful."
