Eliza Jane
Enjoy being a girl? St. Charles shop is for you
Megan Hoffrichter, owner of Eliza Jane, extended a container of pencils toward me. "Here, take one," she said. Opening the sealed tube containing the pencil, I was rewarded with the heady scent of cinnamon. "They're called Smencils," she said, "And they're made from 100 percent recycled newsprint." Maybe some of my old columns.
Nicole Guvenoz, said she works hard to fill the retail side of the business with unusual and attractive items not found elsewhere in the area. "Shopping is now my profession. I love to stand back and listen to people talk about what a fun place this is."
Guvenoz showed me some kitschy purses made from recycled fruit juice, milk and banana ketchup labels. Banana ketchup? "Yes, it's very popular in the Philippines where these are made," she said.
Catering to an up-market, Eliza Jane is founded on the principles of beauty, style and grace, said Hoffrichter. Eliza Jane offers a broad spectrum of products and services for girls of all ages. Clientele at the day spa, headed by Helen Irons, former manager of Mario Tricoci, does about 85 percent of its business with adults. One of the spa's pampering packages, P.M.S. (Pamper Me Silly), includes a girlie girl facial, a chocolate manicure and pedicure and lash candy. Spa parties and gift certificates are available.
For those who want something different for their nails, Eliza Jane offers nail imprinting of any of 3,000 different designs: sports, birds, butterflies, flags, animals and on and on. Guvenoz recently hosted a card party at her home. She had her nails imprinted with card faces. She didn't say if it helped her game. The imprints last about a week and cost $4 per nail or $10 for both hands.
Upstairs from the retail and spa is Eliza Jane University where youngsters can learn etiquette and manners. "I'm just appalled," said Hoffrichter, "at young people in my neighborhood who don't send thank you notes and don't have any knowledge of manners that I've always taken for granted. The first thing we teach in etiquette training is how to get the conversation off yourself and be comfortable engaging others in conversation."
A store for girlie girls is not a new concept, said Hoffrichter. "But we wanted to put our own spin on it. People tell us this store would be great on the North Shore or New York." Added Guvenoz, "We've brought in the exact clientele that we targeted. A $400 to $500 sale is not unusual."
Eliza Jane's attractive packaging and innovative marketing materials are all done in pink and brown. "We dream in pink," said Guvenoz. Anyone signing the store's guest book receives for their birthday an unusual and eye-popping 3-D postcard done in pinks and brown. The card's good for 25 percent of any item. Happy birthday, girls.
Published in the The St. Charles Sun - August 01, 2007
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