Beth MacDonald has opened Bethie Lou’s Fabulous Gift Store at 110 South Central Street in Old Town (next to Good Golly Tamale). It opened on the first Friday in May and business says business has been excellent. I was there on a Tuesday afternoon and found people shopping when I arrived. In the thirty minutes I was there, other couples came in and shopped, including a couple from Wisconsin who was spending their week in downtown Knoxville.
Originally from Knoxville, she has lived here all her life, working in the television business for forty years. She started out as a makeup artist before moving into location scouting, which she has been doing for twenty-five years as an independent contractor. She started while working at Merle Norman in the mall. She was approached and offered the opportunity to do makeup for I-40 Paradise. She’s worked her way through the business, including a stint with the “Christy” TV series.
As a manager, her days were long. Arriving first, she was often the last to leave. During the pandemic, the days were sixteen hours, with much of the work done via zoom. Economically, both years have been great. She also became a COVID agent for filming. But for all the income, it was exhausting.
Last fall, she decided to take time to “take care of herself”. She took Perkins (the wonderfully laid-back shop dog) to the Outer Shores of North Carolina for a break. While there, she fell in love with a particular store and the kinds of sassy items they sold. When she got back, she was having dinner with her friend Paula Clancy (who owns New Classics on the 100 block) and told her about the shop, her grandparents calling her “Bethie Lou,” and her exhaustion with the location. location.
Paula said she should open a shop, call it “Bethie Lou’s” and locate it in the building that Beth, her husband Phillip and another couple had owned for four years. She said it sounded like a great idea over wine with a friend. The next morning? It always seemed like a good idea and she got to work. The building housed three Airbnb units and they agreed to convert the ground floor unit into a store, while the others will remain for rental.
She bought some of the displays in the store the next day. She went to the market in Dallas in January and in Atlanta in February. She found a source of women-owned wholesale businesses that are eco-friendly and started sourcing from them. “My whole basement was a warehouse.” In April, they began construction, removing furniture and knocking down a wall.
The store has a wide range of offerings, including a baby and toddler section with books, toys, blankets, games, and more. She has “something for everyone,” she says, including an outdoor section with grumpy holders, a wine backpack, silicone wine cups to pair with it, beach blankets or beach blankets. lake and even fishing rods.
Afghans made by a woman in Portland, gratitude books, self-care books and cutting boards. She has “fashion-forward cards, tea towels and cocktail napkins that are a lot of fun and a little risque.” She also has candles, pillows, coffee items and snacks. She has a local coffee line from “Knoxville Coffee Company”.
It wants to distinguish itself from local businesses and complement their businesses rather than compete with them. She said she has shopped and sent people to the other stores and hopes they will do the same. Having owned the building for a while, she already knows some of her neighbors, like Matt at Good Golly, Jenny Boyd (Boyd’s Jig and Reel), Jane George (Dr. Jane Health and Wellness), and others. and she’s happy to be a part of the neighborhood.
She’s hired her first employee (Cindy) and she’s interviewing a few more. The boutique will be closed on Mondays, but open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday.
Comments are closed.