Cheney Flooring expands to retail clothing

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

Since the banking bailout and the stock market tumbling regularly, Vern and Beth Chapman's business, Cheney Flooring, has slowed down, a lot. Despite shifting the focus of business from residential to commercial Vern said they recently went three weeks with no new work.

Vern said he went from 25 bookings to about three. The Chapmans had a decision to make. Beth said during tough economic times there are three basic choices to weather out the slow down: increase prices, cut costs or diversify.

Last July, the Chapmans considered opening the basement of their business for a retail business, but the city killed the plan because the ceiling was too low and there wasn't enough ventilation. Beth Chapman said she and her husband considered a ventilation plan, but still the cost of dealing with the ceiling was cost prohibitive.

Sometimes the obvious is the hardest to see.

“Why don't you split the store in half?” building owner Mike Zarecor asked the Chapmans.

Chapman divided the floor space at 113 F St. into equal amounts. She bought some women's apparel and on Oct. 30, Cheney Chic began selling clothes. She said she has had numerous people stop and take a look already.

Chapman decided to follow her own taste in clothing after a few disappointing trips to clothing store like the Fashion Bug and Macy's.

“I can't find anything I like,” she said.

She wanted to offer a look that is “cute, pretty, and trendy” without having to buy into all of the high-end names. She said she describes the style of apparel in the store as “feminine and contemporary.”

Though she is not preferential of her clientele, Beth said she is not specifically marketing toward college students, though they are welcome. Sizes in the store run from juniors to misses to plus sizes. Many of the blouses are a sheer over blouse with ruffles down the neckline. There are basic black pants or jeans with sequin floral patterns. Chapman describes the pattern on the T-shirts on her rack as “subliminal.” She also has purses in stock.

Prices range from $5 to $40, but average about $30.

The decision to go with clothing versus any other retail product was a choice based on necessity. Chapman said the basic human needs, besides breathing include shelter, food and water. Clothing is probably the next in line.

In selling clothes, Chapman said it's easier to get someone to spend $30 for a new blouse than it is $3,000 for laminate flooring.

For the immediate future, she said she wants to add shoes. If things progress, she said it would be nice to make the clothes a separate businesses and add men's clothing.

Right now, Chapman said she is going to take the clothing aspect slowly until she gets a concrete idea of what people want. She added that she's not trying to put anybody out of business. Dell's sells some country style clothes so Chapman said she will stay away from that. Aside from Dell's, some novelty clothing at the Tree of Knowledge Bookstore and some emergency clothing (sweats T-shirts and shorts) at Bi-Mart and Ben Franklin, Cheney Chic is the only clothing store in town that she is aware of.

Chapman said she is going to a buyers' convention in Tacoma later this month to stock up on more merchandise.

Once the retail merchandise picks up a little bit more, she said she would consider keeping the store open longer. She added that students get 10 percent off clothing purchases.

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]