Southern Hanger Boutique co-owner Megan Hampton holds one of the latest fashions for ladies.If you go
The store is open Monday-Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed on Sundays. To learn more, find “Southern Hanger Boutique” on Facebook or Instagram. The store can be reached at 706-764-6246.
After beginning online, LaFayette's new Southern Hanger Boutique moved into an actual storefront a few months ago. Located inside Southern Bliss Bakery, the store's unique setup allows shoppers to eat and shop for clothing in one location.
The store is full of boutique clothing for women, but some men's clothing can also be found there.
"When Shana Allgood of Southern Bliss contacted us, it was the perfect opportunity," said Southern Hanger co-owner Tara Hampton. "It will bring in people from the bakery, and the boutique helps the bakery."
Hampton said her daughter Megan loves clothing and wanted to turn her hobby of collecting trendy outfits into a business, so they teamed up to open the store.
"A lot of boutiques are overpriced and we wanted to be a reasonably priced boutique," Tara Hampton said.
She listed brands such as Silver, Big Star and Judy Blue for jeans, Not Rated, Sbicca and Naughty Monkey shoes, Umgee, Jadelynn Brooke, Simply Southern, Southern Darlin and Merica Proper.
"I think LaFayette really enjoyed the boutique from the feedback we've received," she said.
She and her daughter agree that popular items in the store are tunics, anything with sequins, and leggings.
"My house is full of boxes of spring merchandise, so we need to sell the winter clothes," said Tara Hampton. "We are having a winter clearance sale to make room for spring. We try to order different things. We like to have a lot of variety."
Megan Hampton said shoppers range from teenagers to senior citizens.
"We have some handmade jewelry from a girl in Georgia," said her mother. "We also have snap-on jewels."
Both Tara and Megan Hampton grew up in LaFayette and graduated from LaFayette High School. In addition to helping run the store, Megan Hampton is obtaining her nursing degree from Chattanooga State, which she will complete this spring. Tara Hampton, who has a business degree, works as an association executive by day and handles the business paperwork. Tara Hampton's mother-in-law and another girl help out too.
"It's very scary opening a business and not knowing how it will go," Tara Hampton said. "The store has done really well and we are really pleased. It's a small boutique, but we offer a lot of different items. For the size and what we are able to offer, it's a very good boutique. We have a lot of in-style clothing."