By John Pluntze
Ketchum's The Dollhouse consignment boutique (5th Street and FIrst Avenue/ 726-8332/ http://www.dollhouseconsignment.com ) has always been something a trendsetter for the Wood River Valley, and that much-appreciated trendsetting aspect is about to take several new, exciting turns starting this weekend -- when the shop begins new operating hours (Wed.-Sat. 10-5:30) ... and also begins closing its boutique on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.
The impetus for closing the very popular Ketchum consignment shop -- one whose clientele ranges in ages from pre-teens to retirees -- to walk-in customers on Mondays and Tuesdays is two-fold, its owner, Lara Spencer, explained to me recently First, it will allow Spencer on Tuesdays of the first and second weeks of each month to schedule customers to come into the shop for various one-on-one personalized fashion and styling consultation services.
The other is to allow Spencer on the 3rd and 4th Tuesdays (and Mondays, also) of each month to focus solely on "refreshing" the inventory at The Dollhouse."
Another exciting new service that Spencer will soon be offering (starting early next month) will be that of a customized in-home closet consultant -- going to a client's home, helping them create outfits out of single pieces they maybe "never" wear anymore (because they can't figure out WHAT to wear with it), organize and cull closets (with items the client decides they don't want/need anymore heading back to The Dollhouse for sale).
This in-home service will cost clients $75-per-hour (with a two-hour minimum) -- easily 1/3 to 1/2 the price of what it would typically cost clients in a big city for the very same in-home service.
"The people who shop at The Dollhouse are NOT customers; they're guests in my home. And now in some cases, I'll be a 'guest' in some of my client's homes as well," Spencer said, adding: "My shoppers want as much PERSONALIZED attention as possible, and I've always strived to give them that .... with these latest services being yet some more examples of that. I mean it IS something of a risk for me -- closing the shop on Tuesdays in order to have one-on-one styling consultations instead with various customers who need and want my help -- but I think one of the reasons why The Dollhouse did become so popular with so many women in this Valley so quickly is that I wasn't just offering the basic consignment-shop servicesl I wanted A LOT more for them than just that."
Spencer said that first available appointment she has for in-home consltations is Wednesday, May 4th, with the first in-store consultations taking place on Tuesday, May 3rd (there's a $10 refundable deposit required for these Tuesday in-store consultation appointments at the time a client makes their appointment).
"We have a number of exciting, new paradigms taking place here right now at The Dollhouse, and I really hope that my shoppers rally around 'em, because THEY are the ones who've repeatedly requested these services in the first place -- services I'm only too happy to provide for them now!!"