Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1355320
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 52 APRIL 2021 About one year ago, we were settling in for what would be an entire year of pandemic living. For local retailers, shop doors closed in an instant and owners had to act fast if they hoped to reopen once this was all over. While it was no easy task, many local luxury boutiques met the challenge, successfully keeping their shops in business while also providing shoppers with a much- needed outlet during time spent at home. In Newburyport, Wheat Boutique got creative behind the scenes with owners and sisters Meghan Bonanno and Colleen Roy. "Our priority has been to provide a safe and comfortable shopping experience that met the needs of our customers and adhered to adjusting safety measures," says Bonanno. In S H O P + R E N E W TAILOR MADE PHOTOGRAPHS, TOP TO BOTTOM BY MELENA WARD, BY NATALIE FRAUSTO Luxury shopping gets personal during the pandemic. BY LAUREN TORLONE MAHONEY response to this goal, the sisters launched their own Wheat Newburyport website and expanded their social media presence on Instagram. They also began their "Style Drops" campaign, which allows customers to provide their sizing and preferred styles, leaving it to Wheat to take care of the rest; mailing clothing, accessories, and gifts to the customer who keeps what they like and returns what doesn't work. Wheat has also been offering free local delivery and store pickup. For Bonanno, it has been encouraging to see "an outpouring of support from people who understand that if they want their favorite stores to be around after the pandemic, it is important to support them through it. To see a name that we recognize Meghan Bonanno and Colleen Roy of Wheat Boutique in Newburyport Chic Consignment owner May Doherty come across in an online order and know that there was a person in our community on the other end of the transaction meant so much." In Andover, Chic Consignment is no stranger to the luxury market, and more than a few people were spending time online in search of that perfect purchase. Their Facebook Live videos (taking place multiple times each week) were creative and fun and a way for clients to stay engaged with the store. Owner May Doherty was cognizant of reaching clients where they were in digital spaces, whether that was on Facebook, via Instagram stories, or by sending emails to make shopping online easier. They also offered free, no-contact curbside pickup and doorstep delivery. Everything Doherty did was driven by her desire to connect with customers. As she puts it, "Relationships with my customers and consignors is extremely important to me and ismy favorite part of what I do. Even though it was a lot of work, I think all of the steps my team and I took during this time helped create an even stronger bond with our clientele. They know they can count on us to show up consistently for them and continue to bring them the best in pre-owned luxury goods."