East Brainerd resident Helen Perkins is taking her love for a good bargain to the next level with her acquisition of Glam Slam boutique, which she reopened in a new Hixson location earlier this month.
"I've always been a thrifty shopper," she said. "You generally can get tremendous bargains."
East Brainerd resident Helen Perkins is the new owner of Glam Slam, a higher-end consignment shop she reopened in Hixson this month.Perkins' mother, a tailor and retail clothing store owner for 25 years in New Haven, Conn., helped her develop an eye for style and good-quality clothing.
She was introduced by her daughter to Glam Slam, which at the time was located on Ashland Terrace. When she stopped by and heard the store was closing, an idea popped into her head that would allow her to connect her job with her passion.
"There's definitely a misconception people have about consignment - that it's old or it hasn't been cleaned," said Perkins. "With my years of exposure to consignment and purchasing, I felt I could convey that consignment doesn't have to be that way."
She said former owner Rochelle Bolton served as her mentor and put in a good word for her with all her consignor contacts.
"She was extremely helpful and influential with the transition," said Perkins. "The reputation was already there, and I just want to continue the quality that's been portrayed all these years."
Glam Slam accepts only today's trends from better labels, which must be dry-cleaned or laundered and put on hangers.
"I scrutinize everything that comes in," she said. "My mother was a tailor, so I know perfection."
In addition to clothing from labels such as Banana Republic, American Eagle, Ann Taylor, Abercrombie and Fitch, Bebe and The Limited, Glam Slam also carries shoes, handbags and accessories.
"Right now with the economy, people are starting to understand they need to watch their spending, and they can do that with consignment," said Perkins.
The new location near the intersection of Highway 153 and Gadd Road next to Little Caesars is smaller and has a more condensed selection than the 3,500-square-foot former Glam Slam, which helps her retain a high level of quality control.
She has updated the building for a contemporary feel, with exposed ductwork in the ceilings and a safari feel created with leopard-print carpet in the "den," or dressing rooms.