by Christine Baker
One very cold, wintry February day last month (are there any other kinds of days in February?), I took a ride “across the river” into Alexandria for some shopping. I must admit I had cabin fever and needed to stretch my legs. I had received a good lead on a great local ladies clothing and accessory boutique and it being my birthday month and all, I grabbed my purse, jacket and scarf and off I went to check it out.
The store was easy to find and centrally located in the retail area of Alexandria. Mrs. Ashlie Dunn, the owner and manager of Sassy Girl welcomed me in out of the cold rain. The store was warm, well lit and fully stocked with many items that caught my eye. She told me the original owner was Mrs. Cindy Jameson who had started the store about 15 years ago. Ashlie had worked part-time for her while going to LSUA and then, in time, became a full-time employee. Years later when the opportunity presented itself to purchase the store, she jumped at the chance to own Sassy Girl.
I asked Ashlie what sets Sassy Girl apart from all other stores in the area and she was quick to reply, “We’re a ladies clothing and accessory store that carries sizes from small all the way to 3X, meeting the needs of all women in the area. We even carry specialty items for the Mardi Gras Carnival season, as well as a variety of year-round accessories such as hats, scarves and jewelry.”
Being that Cenla has not been spared the effects of Covid-19, I asked how her business was doing during this pandemic. Her reply brought a smile to my lips. She said, “I had no idea what was going to happen. I’m a young business owner and suddenly there’s a pandemic, and restrictions on my business and then from out of no where people started contacting me and calling me and asking what I had in stock because they wanted to buy locally here in Cenla. This is definitely a community that supports local shop owners like me and for that I am very grateful.”
Her advice to anyone wanting to own their own business? “Expect to work harder than you ever imagined, longer than you planned and anticipate ups and downs, just like a roller coaster ride or a pandemic!”
There you have it, Cenla. If you’re like me and in need of a diversion from the winter cold and Covid-19 Pandemic, take a quick drive over to Sassy Girl, a ladies clothing and accessory boutique at 1707 Metro Drive, Suite M in Alexandria, Louisiana in the Union Station Shopping Center for some retail therapy. You can also peruse and purchase from Sassy Girl on Facebook at sassygirl.alexandria and on Instagram at sassygirl.boutique.
My little shopping excursion to Sassy Girl was just what I needed to chase away the winter blues. I expect we’ll be seeing much more of Ashlie Dunn and Sassy Girl Boutique here in Central Louisiana.
Remember, as my hubby says all the time, “Good eating, Good loving” and, well, I’ll just tack on a new one for good measure, “Good shopping, Cenla!”
