We’ve already seen a rash of restaurant closings here in our neighborhood, and now it looks like that’s spreading to local retailers, too. Tiecoon at Plaza at Preston Center is closing this month.
I stopped by today and was sad to find ‘going out of business’ signs in the windows. When I interviewed shop owner Danna Sesler for a story we ran last year, she mentioned her challenge to compete with online retailers–and then you mix that with a failing economy, and you get the picture.
This has been one of my favorite neighborhood shops ever since I discovered it about a year ago because it’s the kind of place you can find a gift for that person who had everything. Red dice cuff links, vintage-inspired handbags, Texas-shaped ice molds–just a few of the fun finds you’re likely to come across while browsing.
But this place was more than great inventory. Sesler and her staff gave that topnotch customer service you only find at a mom-and-pop shop. For example, an employee there helped me pick out a unique martini glass for friend’s birthday. The next time I came back, she asked me how my friend ended up liking that martini glass. That’s impressive.
It’s a shame we’re loosing this funky little gift shop. Right now everything in the story is 50 to 70 percent off and their last day is January 30.
