Penelope Searcy opened her ninth women’s retail location on Monday. Photos by Michael Thompson.
Months after expanding its Midlothian store, a high-end women’s retailer has opened a new location a little further south.
Penelope opened Sept. 15 at 7213 Hancock Village Drive in the Hancock Village shopping center in Chesterfield. Founder and owner Penelope Searcy said she has a five-year lease on the 3,000-square-foot space.
The new Chesterfield store marks Penelope’s ninth location. Its others include Short Pump, Glen Allen and Charlottesville. In May, Penelope moved its Midlothian location to a bigger space.
“There seems to be so much growth out this way,” Searcy said of the area around the new store. “A lot of women out here are in our age range, which is 30 and up.”
Searcy, 72, launched the women’s fashion and jewelry store 26 years ago with a location in Lynchburg. It is now based out of Appomattox where it has offices and a warehouse.
Searcy said she found the Hancock Village location by chance when her GPS took her on an odd route to the airport. Penelope is the first tenant to occupy the brand-new storefront.
Jewelry by Pandora is one of Penelope’s most popular.
The shopping center came under new ownership last year when it was bought by a Phoenix-based real estate investment trust.
“We just felt like the location was too good not to do it,” Searcy said.
It cost about $500,000 to open the Chesterfield store, she said. Company revenue is financing Penelope’s growth, including the expansion of its Lynchburg store, plans to move the Charlottesville location and the installation of a new point of sale system.
“I think women love to treat themselves,” Searcy said. “Also, jewelry makes a great gift.”
Searcy said Pandora bracelets are one of the store’s top-selling items. The bracelets cost about $55, and charms cost around $25. Penelope also carries items like Toms shoes, Vera Bradley bags and purses and Kameleon jewelry.
Penelope has about 200 full-time and part-time employees. Searcy’s daughters, Missy Wheeler and Sarah Caldwell, are vice presidents at the company.
Searcy doesn’t plan to expand any farther this year, but more stores may be in the works down the road.
“We’ve been thinking about going west,” she said. “I’m looking at possibly going to the Salem area around Roanoke next.”
Penelope Searcy opened her ninth women’s retail location on Monday. Photos by Michael Thompson.
Months after expanding its Midlothian store, a high-end women’s retailer has opened a new location a little further south.
Penelope opened Sept. 15 at 7213 Hancock Village Drive in the Hancock Village shopping center in Chesterfield. Founder and owner Penelope Searcy said she has a five-year lease on the 3,000-square-foot space.
The new Chesterfield store marks Penelope’s ninth location. Its others include Short Pump, Glen Allen and Charlottesville. In May, Penelope moved its Midlothian location to a bigger space.
“There seems to be so much growth out this way,” Searcy said of the area around the new store. “A lot of women out here are in our age range, which is 30 and up.”
Searcy, 72, launched the women’s fashion and jewelry store 26 years ago with a location in Lynchburg. It is now based out of Appomattox where it has offices and a warehouse.
Searcy said she found the Hancock Village location by chance when her GPS took her on an odd route to the airport. Penelope is the first tenant to occupy the brand-new storefront.
Jewelry by Pandora is one of Penelope’s most popular.
The shopping center came under new ownership last year when it was bought by a Phoenix-based real estate investment trust.
“We just felt like the location was too good not to do it,” Searcy said.
It cost about $500,000 to open the Chesterfield store, she said. Company revenue is financing Penelope’s growth, including the expansion of its Lynchburg store, plans to move the Charlottesville location and the installation of a new point of sale system.
“I think women love to treat themselves,” Searcy said. “Also, jewelry makes a great gift.”
Searcy said Pandora bracelets are one of the store’s top-selling items. The bracelets cost about $55, and charms cost around $25. Penelope also carries items like Toms shoes, Vera Bradley bags and purses and Kameleon jewelry.
Penelope has about 200 full-time and part-time employees. Searcy’s daughters, Missy Wheeler and Sarah Caldwell, are vice presidents at the company.
Searcy doesn’t plan to expand any farther this year, but more stores may be in the works down the road.
“We’ve been thinking about going west,” she said. “I’m looking at possibly going to the Salem area around Roanoke next.”