Arkadelphia Life 23-1 - 52

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Arkadelphia's go-to source for trendy fashion and accessories
By: Joel Phelps | Photography: Dero Sanford
A
pril Gaston knows a thing or two about the
value of used clothes. Growing up, most of this
fashionista's clothes were used but fashionable.
" My mom dragged us into every thrift shop,
oodwill store, and yard sale she could find, she says.
Now 27, Gaston owns a consignment shop in downtown
Arkadelphia, where she successfully markets gently used
clothing to a niche audience.
Since 2017, Gaston has operated Young Forever, a
boutique where women frequently shop for the latest
trends at great prices. The foot traffic into her shop is
constant, and she greets many of her returning customers
by name.
aston got her unofficial start in clothing sales during
her high school years, selling merchandise on social media
swap shops. By the time she was in college, her online
business started picking up. " I sold everything I could get
my hands on, she recalls.  collegiate research project
on another local business led Gaston to seek advice from
the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development
Center. If she wanted to run a viable, needed business in
Arkadelphia, she had two options: open a movie theater
52 ARKADELPHIA LIFE 2023
or a clothing consignment shop. Gaston's choice was
simple, but she had to learn the finer details of operating a
business on her own.
While owning a business had always been a dream of
hers, Gaston admits she learned a lot by trial and error
when she first opened the shop.  didn't know what 
was doing, she says. The spring before opening oung
Forever, Gaston received a business marketing degree
from Henderson State University and immediately went
to work on her concept. She rented the least expensive
storefront she could find and spent the summer fixing
up the place and touring Arkansas in search of other
consignment shops, seeking advice on store policies and
moving inventory.
The store, originally located on Main Street, opened in
the fall of . My first experience with retail clothing
was my first day at the store, aston notes.  friend
with experience in retail showed her some of the basics,
like operating a cash register.  learned as  went, she
says. What Gaston lacked in Retail 101, she made up for
in customer service. Gaston has a knack for making her
customers feel at home.
Arkadelphia Life 23-1

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