Lisa Stark is the kind of woman every Miami fashionista should know. Not only is she beyond stylish, she’s a ninja of sorts: when it comes to finding, finagling and fetching the most fabulous pre-owned (she calls them pre-loved) luxury items in South Florida, she does it all from her modest, but chic little Boca Raton boutique called “Serendipity Consignment.”
I first met Lisa and her retail posse on a glorious Saturday afternoon and to say her store was jammed packed with shoppers (who couldn’t care less about the amazing weather) would be a gross understatement. It was as if the retail Olympics were unfolding right before my very eyes. Women were sifting through a plethora Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Chanel purses.
Did I mention the shoes? Neatly lined-up on racks around the room where labels that would make even Sarah Jessica Parker jealous: Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin and Christian Louboutin, just to name a few. The clothing was just as impressive with skirts, shirts, pants and dresses from Roberto Cavalli, Missoni, Marc Jacobs, Alexis, Parker and well, the list goes (frankly, it would take up this entire blog.)
The most impressive part, though, was the energy and spirit of the ladies selling Lisa’s luxury items. Her inner sales circle is a group of really strong, good-natured, wonderfully, sweet women. The group takes customer service to an entirely different level because they can. They’re in the type of environment that encourages it, which allows them to be interesting and interested.
Lisa calls it “The white glove treatment” and she takes it very seriously, paying special attention to each and every person who walks into her store. I don’t wanna sound like a negative Nelly, but I was taken aback by her posse’s genuine kindness and professionalism. It’s probably because I’m a mall baby. I guess it’s my age and the way retail played itself out in the 80’s and 90’s.
Back then, it was all about mass production, where everyone was sold a blanket idea, along with cookie cutter fashion trends. Clothing chains quickly took over the singular experience of a local boutique and instead of being greeted in a grateful manner when I walked into a store, I grew accustomed to being grunted at and treated like I was going to steal something.
Luckily, those days are dwindling as people grow savvier about how they spend their hard-earned money. Lisa gets that, too. With social media in full effect, it’s all about selling a feeling, an experience, a lifestyle. Her approach is so successful, her consigners have become customers and her customers have become consigners. It’s a win-win situation for everyone, but especially for shoppers looking to score the things they’ve always dreamed of without putting a kidney on eBay.
Read the rest of the blog at www.WSVN.com or shop the looks with the credits listed below.
Shop the blog looks at www.consignmentboca.com
Twitter: @SerendipityBoca
IG: @SerendipityConsignment
FB: Serendipity Consignment Boca
Twitter: @ShireenSandoval
IG: @ShireenSandoval
ssandoval@wsvn.com
www.shireensandoval.com
Photographer: James Woodley
Twitter: @BritFloridian
IG: @BritFloridian
www.James-Woodley.com
Hair & Make-up: Odette Hernandez
Twitter: @Odettehernandz
IG: @O.D.E.T.T
Styling & Assist: Jackie Kay
Blog ideas: jackie211@yahoo.com
Editor: Matthew Auerbach
MattAuerbach@yahoo.com