Women's clothing boutique Glam to open second location in Granger

Women's clothing boutique Glam to open second location in Granger - South Bend Tribune

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 03:05 AM PDT

After working in corporate retail for a large portion of her career, Michelle Smith LeDrew's dream became a reality when she was able to open Glam, a local boutique that is community-forward and champions women. Since opening in 2014 at 212 S. Buffalo Street in downtown Warsaw, the business has become known for selling high-quality fashion-forward women's clothing with customers' needs and wants always in mind.

"We try to have a little something for everyone," she said. "That has been important for me."

The business also became known for its community initiatives and events. In 2015, LeDrew's father and brother died in a plane crash, and since then, the boutique has hosted an annual gala where a portion of the proceeds go to the Smithstrong Foundation Fund, which provides scholarships for Tippecanoe Valley High School senior student athletes.

"They lived big and didn't cut corners," LeDrew said. "And I've taken on the role of trying to somehow carry their legacy and belief in people and community and it's really a privilege to try and honor them."

With that mindset, LeDrew was always looking on the horizon, and from the beginning, she knew she wanted to open a second location.

"I always knew that I wanted to have two stores … so it was just a matter of finding a place and the timing," she said. "It's been very rewarding, and I'm in a community that has been absolutely amazing in supporting a small business. Without that support, there is no way I would be here in Granger and be able to grow"

Glam will open its second location at Toscana Park in Granger on July 10. The new store at 7424 Gumwood Road, next to the former Honey Baked Ham, will be filled with thousands of items with options ranging from a casual $35 T-shirt to more upscale options such as a $350 dress. Compared to the Warsaw location, this store will have more of a "city" vibe, LeDrew said.

"Our product is different (here)," she said. "I've brought in four new brands that are even more upscale than what we carry in Warsaw."

It has been a two-year process to open the second location, LeDrew said, and an extra level of stress was added with the coronavirus pandemic causing a three-month delay in opening and putting a standstill on getting new product for the store.

"Never did I dream we would be opening during a national pandemic," she said. "That has caused quite a bit of extra stress but at the end of the day there is only one way to go, and that's to press forward."

Determined to stay positive, LeDrew has pivoted from some original plans for the store to make sure it is properly stocked and ready for shoppers in time for the opening. Finishing touches are still underway in the 1,300-square foot space, but LeDrew has put her own touches in the store so far by adding pink and gold glitter in the concrete floors, hanging a large antique chandelier and adding modern touches such as piped shelving. The process, she said, has been emotional.

"There are so many businesses that haven't come out of (the pandemic) and that are crumbling, so to see that my hope hasn't been canceled and my dreams are still coming to fruition, it's a blessing that I don't take lightly," she said.

Glam Boutique will host a grand opening at its Granger location from 5 to 8 p.m. July 10 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 11. The business is partnering with Uptown Kitchen to provide food and beverages during the events.

West End Bakery last day this Saturday

West End Bakery in Mishawaka will close after this Saturday, according to a Facebook post on the bakery's page. The post said that owner Greg Fobe and longtime employee Laszlo Kincses will be retiring. The business and building at 414 W. Seventh St. were initially listed for sale in January and the post on Sunday read "no deal has been done yet."

Fobe, a third-generation owner of the bakery, said in a phone call Tuesday that the business and property will still be for sale after Saturday but will be "sold as a non-functioning business."

Have you heard?

Tuesday Morning filed for bankruptcy in May and announced store closures around the country. The Mishawaka location at 2548 Miracle Lane in Town and Country Shopping Centre will remain open. In Indiana, two stores in Indianapolis, a store in Merrilville and a store in Bloomington will close. … Midwest Gun and Range at 128 Rush Court in Elkhart will permanently close as of Saturday. In an email newsletter signed by management to customers, the business closure was "not due to COVID-19 or any financial hardships" but rather "life is short and we are simply making time to enjoy ours a little more." The Midwest Gun Exchange on Grape Road in Mishawaka has the same owners, but an employee with the store said that location will stay open.

Nike Swoosh Fly Delivers First-Ever Basketball Apparel Collection Made Specifically For Women - Sneaker News

Posted: 29 Jun 2020 07:03 AM PDT

Women have been hooping since the game was first invented by Dr. James Naismith. Despite its lengthy history, there has been very limited focus on its athletic gear, and for the most part women were left to shop in the men's section for anything remotely appropriate for the sport. Rolling the waistband on the shorts and the long sleeves became a trend out of necessity, but that iconic look had its drawbacks because men's basketball gear doesn't account for the natural curvatures of the female figure. Nike's new Swoosh Fly collection address those issues, and it's set to debut just weeks before the 2020 WNBA season is scheduled to start.

Swoosh Fly brought in insights from today's prominent WNBA players in Sue Bird, Elena Delle-Donne, A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Sabrina Ionescu, while the direction of this collection of helmed by former WNBA player and recipient of Nike's W.I.N. program Mistee Boyd. The highlight of the collection is the Swoosh Fly Crossover Short, which ditches the traditional cylindrical shape and adds a tighter waist, space at the hips, and a cuts it at mid-thigh. A special edition with a cloudy graphic is inspired by the 1989 ad that featured the slogan "Who said woman was not meant to fly". The Standard Issue Pullover Hoodie emphasizes three key needs – a larger hood to fit hair buns/ponytails, a front pocket to house hand-helds, and a longer rear for more coverage.

The entire Nike Swoosh Fly womens basketball collection is set to debut on July 10th. See the official look at the enter collection below.

For more Nike Basketball news, the Kyrie 6 "USA" is set to drop on July 3rd.