Professional, Personable and Passionate
What do you think it takes to be considered the best? Hard work? Dedication? Passion? If you ask Sherry Gravitt, it takes all of these and more. A keen sense of style, a sharp eye for details, super-human levels of organization and endless amounts of research, which is something that a person like me is required to do in order to be hip to the lingo of the modern fashionista.
To be honest, I learned more about the fashion business than I ever believed possible, walking in and chatting with the super friendly staff.
Located at the corner of Hixson Pike and Dorchester Road, right across the street from Tremont Tavern, this fashion outfitter has made a name for itself for over 20 years, by dressing the women of Chattanooga in the hottest fashion trends.
Owner Sherry Shipley Gravitt is a lady of razor-sharp wit, distinction and refinement. She walks me around her unconventional boutique with beaming pride. Every article and stitch on the racks and shelves are meticulously inventoried and organized by type, size, color, brand and seasonal relevance.
Designer handbags with upscale brands are suspended, neatly, in full presentation, and the gloss of high-quality boots gleam from the shelves.
"All our items are three years old or less, in perfect condition, although we do take some older premier designer bags. Since we have to be very particular about what we take, all items are well-vetted, so that we offer nothing but the best for our clients," Sherry said.
The top designers are found here...Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Fendi and Gucci to Lilly Pulitzer and Tory Burch. Encore Consignment Boutique carries not just clothing and handbags, but offers rare and unique accessories as well.
You can find a wide variety of pieces from David Yurman, Tiffany and John Hardy, as well as unique pieces from local artisans and, even, from Nepal.
These colorful, exotic wonders stole my attention, with their alluring beauty, as if they were spirited away from the Himalayas and brought to Chattanooga by way of Indiana Jones. If you fancy the haunting glow of turquoise, Encore definitely has a feast for the eyes with some pretty awesome pieces.
"We don't just sell clothes. We dress people and take pride in our clients looking and feeling good," Sherry said.
Sherry has been in the fashion industry since she was sixteen. It was at her first job, a boutique called The Vogue on Brainerd Road, where she was bitten by the fashion bug. Although she pursued a career in advertising, she always found her way back into the industry.
With all the buzz and kinetic flurry that comes with managing a boutique consignment store, she takes her careful time with the intake of consignment items.
Consignment items are taken by appointment only, and the Encore team carefully inspects everything from strap to seam. They guarantee that all designer items are one hundred percent authentic.
The heart and soul of Encore is the combination of life-long passion for fashion and a love for taking care of people. Sherry and her staff's dedication to the time and research that goes into keeping up-to-date with the latest trends is what sets her store apart from others. Staying on top of what's hot and trendy every year, season to season, is a monumental feat that Sherry and staff guarantee with iron-clad resolve.
They are currently working hard to get the Spring line on the racks at the same time as the major department stores, yet what you will find at Encore won't be found at the mall. You will find the unique, the trendy, the stylish and sleek...all the great, in-demand designers and all at reasonable prices. If you require a seasonal update to that basic wardrobe or desire to dress-to-impress and haven't a clue where to start, Encore has a Fashion Forward stylist to take care of your needs.
Encore Consignment Boutique may have everything you need to be the best-dressed on either side of the Chickamauga or Tennessee River, with a personable and professional team, ready and able to deck you out in some of the finest designer clothing, without the need to jet off to New York or Los Angeles. Check them out at encoreconsignmentonline.com.