Stylish Entrepreneurs Go From Facebook to Storefront
By Meredith Diers
Special Contributor
A small, pale yellow house with the illuminated letters A|C displayed on the front is the new brick-and-mortar shop for local Accessory Concierge entrepreneurs Amy Claro and Amy Coffey.
Prior to opening their new storefront in April, Claro and Coffey championed the accessory “flash sale” on their own Facebook page.
As mothers of young children, they wanted out of the corporate world, but still had business acumen and creativity to burn. Putting their heads together, they decided to create an online accessory business.
“We felt there was a void in the market for our price point,” Claro said.
They began their business by purchasing a select number of wholesale items and selling them through their Facebook page via “flash sales.”
“Our business exploded over the first year and a half,” said Coffey, who has the financial and retail experience of the duo. “We had 25,000 followers and once Facebook went public, we saw the writing on the wall.”
After a year and half on Facebook, AC shifted to an online store. Claro, the creative brain of the two, began exploring designing her own jewelry pieces, and found satisfaction and success in her new role.
“Coming up with a design, the satisfaction of it coming to life, and seeing it on others who love it as much as I do is what I enjoy,” Claro said.
Much of AC’s collection consists of long beaded necklaces with a pendant or tassel embellishment.
The pieces are all “very everyday, but can also be worn as more high-end at night with a dress,” Coffey said.
Accessory Concierge’s online store continued to grow and gain more customers. The two worked out of their homes until the business required more manpower and space.
“We probably work more than we ever have, but it’s on our schedule,” Coffey said.
Along with moving their business to a small house on West Lovers Lane, closer to both Claro and Coffey’s Preston Hollow homes, they opened a store within the new office space in April. Claro and Coffey are now adding to their line by introducing specialized and upscale collections.
“We can have more one-of-a-kind pieces that lend themselves to in-person shopping,” Claro said.
Although the store opened in April, AC’s official launch will be sometime in the fall.
