Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Keys.
Hi Leslie; we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2002 a complete downtown renovation was beginning in Tuscumbia, AL. Those leading this project desired to add a boutique to one of the buildings being restored. Owning my boutique was a dream. I was approached by Harvey and Joyce Ann Robbins, the family that led this project. I then started opening my store; after much research, market visits, and a locked-in business plan, I opened the doors in July 2002 to offer fashionable ready-to-wear clothing, jewelry, and accessories that appealed to all ages, from granddaughters to grandmothers. We market to the entire Shoals area, comprising Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Florence. We also have customers from a 90-mile radius and from all over the country via audiemescal.com. Twenty-one years and growing every month!
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
There were some struggles when Amazon launched, and everyone started ordering online. Although Amazon is not our competition with boutique clothing, it still instilled in most people the convenience of online ordering, and walk-in traffic started to slow. I knew it was time to start a website, so we did, and it has been growing yearly since. During COVID, we pivoted our marketing strategy, started doing videos, gained more social media presence, and offered free shipping. We were shut down for six weeks, but by year-end, sales were better than the year before! Since then, we have shown growth and profit every year!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the owner/buyer of Audie Mescal. This means I do all the buying for the store and go to market five times a year. I choose clothing, jewelry, and accessories for five yearly shipping drops. Drops mean fall, winter, holiday, spring, and summer. We offer styles for all ages, specializing in an individual approach to fashion and amazing customer service. We are very educated on the styles and fit of our garments, making it easy for customers whether they come in the store or order online. As the owner, I am also responsible for all the behind-the-scenes duties—ordering, bill pay, payroll, training, merchandising, etc. As a Sole Proprietor, I do it all.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Being available and hands-on is the key. If you’re unwilling to put the time in six days a week, I would not invest in a retail business. Your customers want to see you when they walk in the door; if you’re never there, you can’t establish one-on-one relationships, which is key.
Contact Info:
- Website: audiemescal.com
- Instagram: audiemescal
- Facebook: Audie Mescal Clothing
Image Credits
Head shot taken by Kristen Van Devender
