Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Hicks.
Hi Liz, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
As a family, we were allowed to start a new life in the USA, and opening a family business soon became part of the adventure. I have a passion for helping women smile, find self-love, and celebrate life with colorful clothing. As a former teacher helping others and providing fantastic service is in my soul, and I wanted this passion to be evident in my business. I was diagnosed with a tumor ten years ago, and life looked quite different today. As a result of being unwell, I learned to look after myself, lose weight and find self-love. I wanted to share my story and help others by owning a boutique. When my husband voiced the opportunity to open a boutique and share my passion for color, pattern, and pretty clothes, I knew it was vital for me to provide a safe place for women to shop, receive honest and valuable fashion advice, and have fun! Apricot Lane is a franchised business, and this corporation’s values aligned with mine, so we partnered with them to help us start this dream. My vision for the business was to grow a community of women, a place to come and be with others who love shopping and to find friends to share the experience with. We hold ladies’ evenings and private parties and offer styling and fashion advice. Apricot Lane supports many charities and has a give-back philosophy, which was quite important to me as a franchise. We stock many lines that help charities and are also environmentally focused. I am owner-operated and run. I do all the curating of our lines, buying, and running of the business with the support of my talented and supportive staff.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It’s been a bumpy road, and Knoxville has thrown us into the deep end of living in a new country and opening our first small business. A car incident saw a delay in our opening, and my son’s nasty accident resulting in surgery added some extra stress. Being new to USA and Knoxville, we could not rely on family and existing friends being our first customers; we had to go out and get our NZ voices heard. We had to shout from the rooftops and hope that people would come and enjoy the experience of shopping with us. We soon learned that Knoxville enjoys holidaying in the summer months, and the store became quiet, but I would not be defeated. News has traveled, and people 10 months on come through our doors, finding us for the 1st time. It’s still a long road, and many tell us it takes years for the word to get out, but we know that Apricot Lane Knoxville is a destination boutique women love to come to and tell others of our fantastic service.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Apricot Lane Boutique Knoxville?
Apricot Lane Boutique Knoxville is a small family-owned and operated business. We pride ourselves on the styling and customer service we provide to everyone who comes through the door and those who connect with us online. Our boutique offers women’s clothing from XS to XL (bare with me, I’m hoping to release a curvy line one day soon), and we are known for our colorful selection from everyday wear to the formal occasion. My staff are well trained and give excellent styling advice. One of the stylists was asked if they ever lied to sell the clothes, and she told them we would never do that. We want you to love the clothes you buy and not just hang them in your closet. Hearing this made me smile ear to ear. It’s true and exactly our belief! We offer honest advice and will work the store to find an outfit that works for your body shape, the colors that make you smile, and an outfit for the occasion. A customer thanked me last week for helping her find color again; her wardrobe had become bland, and wearing color makes her much happier! We are proud to be in Knoxville and just down the road from UT and the stadium, so naturally, we had to help Knoxville wear their favorite color, orange. We have a great selection of Game Day and Big Orange Friday office wear. We are excited to launch our new Orange You Pretty collection in July, perfect timing for game season.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Being in the local Chambers has helped me find mentors and business advice. But I believe that being honest also helps. Talking to your clients, sharing your story, and being honest and open allows people to believe you are offering a service, not just out to make money. Sharing my story and learning about my customers helps to spread the word because they believe I am honest and genuine. In turn, they have referred me to people who have helped me. I still would love more mentorship and have lots to learn in business. I’m a teacher out of her comfort zone many days, but I am strong and passionate.
Pricing:
- Affordable well priced clothing
- Clothing under $200
- Affordable fashion
Contact Info:
- Website: https://apricotlaneboutique.com/store/knoxville
- Instagram: apricotlaneknoxville
- Facebook: Apricot lane Boutique Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/apricot-lane-boutique-knoxville-knoxville?
Image Credits
Lana Marie Photography
