Meet Lost & Found's Newest Retail Space | Lyla's Clothing, Decor & More

So last week I promised you all a tour through my new retail space . . .

Here it is! Today I am excited to walk you through Lyla’s Clothing, Decor & More, a lovely little boutique in downtown, Plano Texas.

Quick background on how I found this space, or actually how this space found me!

Meagan, the shop owner, contacted me earlier this year after seeing some of my painted furniture pieces on Instagram. She had been a clothing vendor herself for the past few years in various malls and boutiques in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and was now taking the step to open her own shop.

Meagan was looking to add some furniture and home decor vendors into her new shop to round out her clothing and jewelry lines, and invited me to consider joining her.

Honestly, at the time expanding to a second location was the last thing on my mind. I was only a few weeks away from my scheduled neck surgery and really had my heart set on eventually expanding to my own brick-and-mortar shop, rather than being a vendor in someone else’s shop.

After meeting with Meagan though and visiting the shop, I was sold. I loved the vision and plan she had for the store and knew Lost & Found would be able to thrive in the space.

Because the shop is a small boutique and not a large antique mall, it would attract new and different customers from my current Antique Company Mall space. Meagan was also planning on having a large workshop space in the back of her store, which would be a great asset to my business–I could teach regular workshops again!

So despite it not being the best timing, I said yes and signed on with Meagan. I guess the moral of the story is you never know what business opportunities are going to come your way, and when they do, keep your mind open! It may not be exactly what you planned and when you planned it, but it still could be a great fit.

So moving on now to photos . . . I have both my Fusion Mineral Paint and Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paints on display right at the front of the store.

I also have space for a few furniture pieces (which have been selling very quickly!). Right now I have this gorgeous 1800’s antique german chest of drawers in my inventory.

Is that not an absolutely stunning piece!

Don’t worry, I’m not painting it!

I also have a few small collected finds in my space as well, like some book bundles, milk glass, and mason jars.

Moving on, there are other furniture vendors in the shop as well who paint some lovely pieces!

And the last vendor hand paints these beautiful calligraphy signs!

So with Meagan the owner plus 3 other vendors, there are 4 of us total. What I love so much is that we are all young women entrepreneurs–moms using some of our creative gifts and talents to bless our families and others.

And if you’re into cute clothes more than home decor, there’s plenty here for you too!

In closing, I asked the shop owner Meagan to share a few bits of advice for anyone else looking to take the next step in expanding their business. I would love to share with you her thoughts.

Why did you decide to take the plunge from being a vendor to owning your own brick and mortar shop?

“The opportunity came to open a spot in Downtown Plano! The city is putting lots of effort into growing the downtown area, so it was an opportunity I could not pass up! As much as I enjoyed being home with my little girl, I knew this was a once in a lifetime chance to have Lyla’s on a storefront!”

What has been one of your biggest challenges in starting and growing your business?

“One of my biggest challenges is marketing! Learning to market to the right customer and learning who your customer is! What sells in one area may not be a great fit for another area! Learning who your customers are and what they are looking for will help grow your business (this does not happen overnight)!”

What advice do you have for other women looking to start their own business, either out of their home, as a vendor, or as a shop owner?

“Budget. Have a set budget, three to four months supply of money for those lower sales months. And don’t loose focus on your vision, buy items and merchandise that you are passionate about.”

I hope you have enjoyed your “tour” of my new space. And if you’re local, please come visit me there sometime soon! You can always follow along on my Facebook page to see what workshops I have coming up and if there are any other special events planned at the shop.

Thanks for being with me today!