BELLEFONTE — Bellefonte clothing boutique store Helen Foxx and Co. celebrated its first anniversary with a party and sale Aug. 12 at 122 S. Alleghany St.
Owned by long-time friends Wendy Hockenberry and Joyce Mills, the store has been a nice change of pace for the two, who used to run the coffee shop Cool Beans.
“It’s a little more relaxing,” Hockenberry said. “It’s not the hustle and bustle anymore.”
Most of the clothes from the store are brought in from New York, the pair said, but attending clothing shows in Las Vegas recently has helped them expand their selection.
“Yes, there’s pressure. But we just love to sell clothes and shower our women with love,” Mills said.
The shop’s typical customer has been women between the ages of 29 and 75. Hockenberry and Mills think it’s because the clothes they offer are versatile and fit a lot of different needs that State College stores don’t offer.
“They have a narrower aspect,” Hockenberry said. The clothes in Helen Foxx and Co. are designed for young professionals, moms and grandmas. The State College stores, she explained, are geared more toward college-aged girls who don’t need as much. “(Our clothes) just appeal to a wide range of women.”
Both women have lived in Bellefonte for years with their husbands. With only the two of them to run the shop, they said it can get hard, but thankfully their spouses are around to help fix stuff in the store. Another way men get involved in the store, Hockenberry said, is coming in to buy their wives a gift. And, she and her business partner are ready to assist any helpless customer who walks through their door.
The best part of transitioning from lattes to lace has been time with family, both women agreed. “It’s afforded us more time at home. It’s completely different,” Mills said. “This past year has been better than we could’ve imagined. It’s very hard, but it’s exceeding our expectations.”
Hockenberry and Mills said there is no plan for an upgrade right now, but the store could get one at some point. The idea to expand to include men’s clothing is floating around the shop, and the inclusion of shoes could be coming, too.
Helen Foxx and Co. is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
