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Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Appliance Mart opens Five Points store
Boutique Du Jour plans expansion; Family Christian Stores readies area shop
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| George Tuley/Caller-Times |
| Buck Floyd celebrated the grand opening of his 15,000-square-foot Appliance Mart in Five Points on Saturday. The store features built-in displays of the store's ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers. Floyd plans to build another Appliance Mart at 4401 SPID. |
A 15,000-square-foot new Appliance Mart opened at Five Points Saturday after the original 6,000-square-foot Calallen store outgrew its old home.
The new store features built-in displays of the store's ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers, as requested by Appliance Mart vendors, store owner Buck Floyd said.
Floyd has been in the appliance business since 1978, and Saturday's grand opening is not the last one he expects to initiate. Floyd also plans to build a new Appliance Mart on the site of Vista Mitsubishi, at 4401 S. Padre Island Drive, after the auto dealer finishes moving into its new home on the 6500 block of South Padre Island Drive.
"We're working on the pl ans for that store right now," Floyd said, adding that he'll probably have to tear down the car showroom to make room for all his appliances.
The company is also developing a Web site, but doesn't have plans to sell its appliances online.
"Nationally there's not a whole lot of appliances sold online, but there's a lot of inquiries," Floyd said. "It'll be more of an informational site."
Growing hair business
Hairstylist Betty Garza saved for three years before she was finally able to open her own salon, Boutique Du Jour, at 4600 Ocean Drive. Now she has been on her own for three years, and says it's time to expand.
"The first year was the hardest, but after that it was pretty easy," Garza said. "And you actually grow faster than you expect, so it catches you by surprise."
For a long time it was just Garza and her 14 years of hairstyling experience. She also offers manicures, pedicures, waxing, facials, "everything but a massage," Garza said. In the past few months she's added another stylist and an assistant, and says that the company will probably have to move within the next year.
"I knew we needed to expand a year ago, we're just trying to hold off," Garza said. "Our customers are demanding more services - a massage, and a spa-type of salon."
The company has a Web site, www.boutiquedujour.com, where Garza lists her salon's prices, gifts and special packages. Garza, who worked at Anthony's Beauty Salon before opening the shop, said she charges less than some of the top salons in town - for example, $45 for partial coloring.
Growing fast in Corpus Christi wasn't too hard in the upscale hair salon market, Garza said. "There are not enough salons here so the competition is not that hard," Garza said. "The major hairstylists here all know each other."
New Christian store
Family Christian Stores is opening a new branch in Corpus Christi on Friday as part of a six-store expansion statewide.
Artist Chris Taylor will be at the new Corpus Christi store, located at 4938 S. Staples St., on Friday evening to sing songs from his new release, "Worthless Pursuit of Things on Earth." The Michigan-based Family Christian Stores acquired all six shops from The Shepherd's Shoppes and has renovated them with new products and design, the company said.
On Retailing is published every other Tuesday in the Caller-Times business section. The column includes news of new, relocated and expanded businesses in the Coastal Bend, plus retailing trends and profiles. Ideas may be submitted to: On Retailing, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, Texas 78469; e-mail Tara Copp at coppt@caller.com; fax items to (361) 886-3732; or call (361) 886-4316.
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