By Sonja J. Keith
Three locally-owned businesses are “cornering the market” on fashion, thanks to a unique location in the heart of Downtown Conway. The shops – Walk This Way, Hipsway and the Royal We – are conveniently located in a building at the corner of Locust Avenue and North Street.

All three businesses will be showcased during the 501 Holidays fashion show – 2 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at the Wellness and Athletics Center at Hendrix College. (See Page 28 for additional information.)
Check out the Royal We in the December issue of 501 LIFE.

Shoe boutique a dream come true

For owner Kym Schluterman, the shoe boutique Walk This Way was a dream come true as well as a very special birthday present. In fact, the store just recently celebrated its first birthday.
“I wanted to open this for 14 years. I love birthdays so I wanted to celebrate the grand opening of something I had been waiting on forever, on my birthday.
“It was a great birthday present.”
Kym joined forces with Rik Sowell (Sowell and Russell Architects) to create the unique boutique. She designed the store from start to finish with a modern and minimalistic design in mind. The shop features track lighting, stained tile floors, a free-standing red accent wall, a custom built register, and glass shelving suspended by cables.
Decorated in an eclectic style with bright colors, upbeat background music sets the mood for shoppers. “Everybody who comes in here says it is a happy place – fun and inviting,” she said. “They love coming in here, and women often call on me to ask for my guidance in opening their own boutique.”
Kym spent a year before her store opened researching the local market. She discovered that Conway did not have a really nice shoe boutique that carried the shoes she would offer. “There was a need for one, especially with low prices.”
The 1,200-square-foot store features the latest trends in shoes, purses and jewelry. The boutique carries a variety of top brands in women’s shoes, including Chinese Laundry (“a fabulous brand for anyone of any age”), Nina Dolls (“all day wear”), Liliana (“a really cool, new line”), Frye, and Penny Loves Kenny.
In purses, the store has a great variety in brands Chinese Laundry, Schandra and Latico. Shoppers will also find a great selection in clutches from elegant and sophisticated to fun and whimsical. Coin and makeup clutches are also available.
“We also have a wide variety of jewelry, like our new, full line of Brighton.”
Looking back at her first year in business, Kym is happy with the boutique. “I am pleased with where I’m at and with the reaction and acceptance of the boutique,” she said, adding that her clients appreciate the low to medium price of the shoes that she offers in Conway. “I am also pleased that people love the different styles I carry that are not available anywhere else.”
Kym has big news for Walk This Way customers come the first of the year. She will be branching out to include clothing, beginning with the spring season. Also, she plans to add two lines of men’s shoes “space permitting.”
“I’ve had several requests for men’s shoes so I’m going to see how it goes.”
A new web design is also in the works that will give shoppers a chance to check out inventory and make purchases on the Internet. She also has a new store on eBay called Walk This Way 2. “I’ve already had orders off there.”
While there is concern about the economy among her customers, Kym has seen little impact on her business because of the quality products and value that Walk This Way provides.
Kym also has a strong commitment to customer service, which is a reflection of her personality. It is also one of the traits she looks for in hiring employees. “It is important how we treat the customer from the time they walk in the door until the minute they leave,” she said. “That’s what makes our boutique so successful.” 

HipSway features casual chic

Rick Cantabery and his daughter, Abby King, have teamed up to offer a contemporary and leading edge fashion boutique in Downtown Conway that has much to offer men and women of all ages.
HipSway features men and women’s “casual chic,” according to Abby, with clients that range from pre-teens to grandmothers. “We have a little bit of everything for everyone, offering fun and trendy items along with more sophisticated styles,” Abby said. “It’s fun to work with such a diverse group of men and women.”
While HipSway has only been located for a year in the 1,000-square-foot shop at Locust Avenue and North Street, Rick and Abby are not newcomers to fashion. They have operated a successful fashion ecommerce site that has sold into 16 countries and in the U.S. coast to coast.  The ecommerce site is being redesigned, which has taken a little longer than planned due to the success of the storefront.
“We walked in and knew this was the place for us,” Abby said of the building owned by Rik Sowell.
At HipSway, merchandise ranges from $20 for designer shirts and T-shirts, to $130 for designer dresses. Jeans range from $58 and up.
HipSway carries several popular brands in designer jeans, including James Jeans (recognized by Oprah Winfrey as the “best jean for every body”), Joe’s Jeans, and Rich and Skinny jeans. Abby said the James Jeans brand comes in sizes 24-34, with 34 representing a women’s size 14, which is considered the average size.
“Most designer jeans only go to a 32,” she said.
As a service to customers, HipSway also offers free hemming on designer jeans purchased at the store. Also, Abby is particularly good at creating a total look for a customer tailored even to a particular event.
Other popular brands in women’s clothing include Ed Hardy, Language LA and B.B. Dakota. In men’s clothing, HipSway carries several popular brands including English Laundry and Archaic by Affliction.
With the success of the Conway store, Rick and Abby have a goal of opening 10 stores over the next five years. “Our client base has grown at an amazing rate.”
HipSway represents a dream come true for both Abby and her dad. Rick was previously an executive in the “corporate world” and always wanted to have his own business. Abby, a recent graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, had planned to teach but put those plans on hold when presented with an opportunity to join her dad. She has five years of retail experience.
“I’ve been very lucky,” she said. “He gave me this opportunity and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been a fun experience for both of us.”
Both Abby and her dad are pleased with the store’s success and look forward to great things in 2009. “Downtown has been a perfect place for us,” she said. “It is now fun to shop in Downtown Conway.”