Dress it up, dress it down, women just cant go wrong with a little black dress unless one cant be found.
Tiffani Waters felt the frustration of the limited options to buy new clothing in Cortez last winter when she looked all over town for a black dress and couldnt find one.
She took that frustration a step, or two or three steps, forward and decided to open her own clothing store to offer women another option for new clothing.
Love on a Hanger recently opened at 34 E. Main St., Cortez. The business is open seven days a week. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Owner Waters said she couldnt pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity.
I had an idea, and I had the opportunity to be able to rent the building and I jumped on it, Waters said adding that it was made possible with the help of friends & family and a small business loan through Dolores State Bank.
The store is in a prime location downtown, and she hopes that location will bring in lots of shoppers.
At the age of 22, Waters is still wet behind the ears, but as far as being business savvy, she seems to be years ahead.
Recently she earned a second-place award for having the best business plan from the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center after completing the Leading Edge Course in Cortez. Pretty impressive since she only graduated last December with a degree in accounting and finance from Fort Lewis College.
Waters makes a point to offer a little bit of everything to fit any style or size from extra small to plus sizes. From young contemporary clothing to the more conservative business wear, the clothing store has it.
Peasant tops, drape vests, leather jackets, cowlneck tops, basic sweaters, military jackets, tunics and cardigans hang from the racks in the attractive shop.
Shoes are also available, and shoppers can find fashion boots, dress heels, wedge shoes and casual shoes.
She only carries a few recognizable name brands to keep clothing affordable, but most women probably wont know the difference.
People are more sensitive to name brands especially when it comes to jeans more than anything else, Waters said.
Silver and Adiktd jeans are popular brands, and Love on a Hanger carries them for the more fashion conscious and should prove popular with the back-to-school shopping crowd.
For the more mature customers looking to put a spark back into their love life, Waters offers a semi-private area upstairs for customers to browse through lingerie items in a tasteful setting. Men looking for a gift for the women in their life are encouraged not to feel out of place in the store, and Waters is happy to offer advice and suggestions.
It appears the business savvy woman, who never really thought about opening a clothing store, is succeeding in her mission to help women in need of a certain fashion.
And, yes, she does carry black dresses.
Reach Paula Bostrom at paulab@cortezjournal.com.