Support Small: Susan’s Fashions

Susan’s Fashions

By Lauren Caggiano Susan’s Fashions has been a fixture in the local boutique community for nearly three decades and has touched the lives of many women in the process. The store, located in Covington Plaza in southwest Fort Wayne, has been in operation for 27 years. The founder, Sue Johnson first entered the fashion industry by working at a locallyowned chain called Nobbson and eventually became a manager at one of the locations. Although trained as a teacher, she decided to make a go of it in the fashion industry instead.

Later, an opportunity presented itself and she was approached by Barbara Gilbert (now of Barbara’s New Beginnings) to purchase the store called Petite Plaza. She agreed and what followed was a flurry of activity that led her to selfemployment and her current role. “We got into the store and had a decorator and designer come in and we were open in six weeks,” she said. “That’s a short time compared to what it takes people nowadays. But we did it and we’ve been here in the same spot for 27 years.” Since then, she’s offered fashion-forward clothing, accessories, and shoes to women, mostly in the 50-plus age group. According to Johnson, her product mix is unique to Fort Wayne and that’s what keeps shoppers coming back. “A lot of my companies are from Canada, Italy, and the U.S.,” she said. “I try to bring unique fashions to Fort Wayne. Thank goodness Fort Wayne has been very responsive and very loyal to me for the past 27 years. I so appreciate their loyalty.” Speaking of loyalty, Johnson employs three people currently, and she said they tend to stick around for a long time. They make an effort to know the customers and that translates into a friendly environment. Other key ingredients to her success have been perseverance and knowing the local market. “To do this retail for as long as I’ve done it… you have to be a people-oriented person and enjoy the customers,” she said. “I love to see new things come in and how the customers love it. We love to put it together in a fun way for customers. We carry a lot of fun fashions but not too much.” In hindsight, Johnson said she believes she’s cracked the code when it comes to catering to her clientele. “I’d say probably about 90% are repeat customers,” she said. No doubt that’s the result of knowing her niche and being able to novelty. She goes to Dallas, Chicago, and occasionally Atlanta to buy product. “I love to stay up with the current fashion because fashion is continually changing,” she said. Going forward, Johnson said she plans to keep the store open as long as her health permits. It’s both a passion and a business. “I feel that my background at Nobbson really brought me so many customers and many are still with me,” she said. “They’re my longtime friends and I’ve been able to be successful because of them.” a