Abby’s Closet

Local Mom Opens New Shop In Former One Tenth Boutique Space

Photographer / JWCreative.Indy

For years, when Abby Jackson’s friends were unsure of what to wear to an upcoming event or special occasion, she came to their rescue. A self-proclaimed shopaholic, Jackson has always loved fashion. Adept at putting outfits together, Jackson’s girlfriends knew they could turn to her to pull just the right thing out of her packed closet.

“Everyone always told me, ‘You need to open a shop and call it Abby’s closet!’ I just laughed it off, but actually, I really did have a dream of opening a boutique or clothing store,” Jackson says.

Her wish became a reality this May when she opened Abby’s Closet, a consignment shop located at 202 North Madison Avenue. A former flight attendant, Jackson became a stay-at-home mom when she started a family. Now that her children are older, Jackson had been searching for something to occupy her time.

“Returning to flying didn’t seem like a good idea,” Jackson says. “Then I saw a sign out in front of the former One Tenth Boutique. I made an appointment to see it on a Monday and signed the papers the next Saturday. I love the smallness of it and the fact that it is in downtown Greenwood. I feel it is perfect for a consignment shop.”

Jackson spent time researching other consignment shops and came up with a pricing and operating plan. She accepts seasonal appropriate clothes in good condition, but unlike other gently used clothing stores, people dropping off clothes get paid when the garments are sold and not when they are initially brought in. First, the clothing is assigned a number, priced and put on the floor. When it sells, the original owner of the clothing gets 60% of the sale. If it doesn’t sell between four to six weeks, it is put on clearance. Finally, Jackson will call to find out if the patron wishes to pick their unsold items up or donate them to charity.

“A week before the shop opened, I put a yard sign outside to let people know we were accepting items,” she says. “We were flooded with so many clothes, I was staying at the store until 10:00 p.m. each night getting it organized. I priced most of the clothes at $15 or $20, but some of the high-end designer brands are more. We have clothes for all ages, genders and sizes from extra small to 3X. It is really varied. There are sport fan items from the Indianapolis Colts and many college teams as well as niche things like scrubs.”

The inside of Abby’s Closet has a shabby chic boutique look and appealing displays. Although most of the clothes have been previously enjoyed, some have never been worn and still have tags attached to them. Customers can view new apparel arrivals via the shop’s Facebook page.

“Owning a clothing shop has always been one of my biggest dreams. I love socializing, styling clothes and putting outfits together so it’s just perfect for me. It all came together in just a few weeks and I am so thankful for everyone’s support,” Jackson says.

Abby’s Closet is located at 202 North Madison Avenue in Greenwood or you can give them a call at 317-893-2116 for more information.