Racine plus size clothing boutique shows off new style for holiday shopping

RACINE, WI. NOV. 8, 2021 – Plush Clothing in downtown Racine unveiled their new look today after a team of Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) staff and designers transformed the store in a one-day reality TV style makeover.

“As our small businesses get ready for holiday shopping, WEDC is glad to help our Mini-Makeover Contest winner, Plush Clothing, with a new look,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC. “The Mini-Makeover is not a full remodel and focuses on things such as lighting, color and signage. But we have also seen what a tremendous difference these small changes can make.”

WEDC’s Wisconsin Main Street staff and a team from Milwaukee-based design firm Retailworks Inc. have been working with Plush Clothing for several months to plan improvements that will help customers enjoy their shopping experience and make the shop more visible.

“I’m excited to reveal our new look to the public just in time for the holiday shopping season,” Plush owner Yolanda Coleman said. “We’re so grateful for the program, which allowed us to make improvements that would have a direct impact on the customer experience and contribute to the success of our business”

The Mini-Makeover is an outgrowth of WEDC’s popular Main Street Makeover contest, now in its sixth year. While the larger makeover project requires substantial outlay of funds and generally involves a full-scale remodel of the winning business inside and out, the Mini-Makeover highlights the transformation that can occur through thoughtful improvements within a limited budget. The total cost of improvements for the Plush interior transformation was less than $5,000 and all work took place in 24 hours.

Property owner Mount Royal Properties and city of Racine are funding separate improvements to the exterior façade.

The plus size women’s clothing boutique has been drawing women to its downtown Racine location since opening in 2019. The shop, whose name is an acronym for Pretty, Lovely, Unique, Sexy, Happy, strives to create a comfortable shopping environment where all women can discover clothes that make them feel good.

“Yolanda does an outstanding job of branding her clothing line, and this grant will catapult her business to the next level while adding vitality to our district” said Kelly Kruse of the Downtown Racine Corporation.

The contest is designed to raise awareness of the Wisconsin Main Street Program and Connect Communities Program, which are the two downtown revitalization initiatives overseen by WEDC. The programs provide support and training for communities and organizations dedicated to downtown revitalization efforts.