As a new mom in 1997, Anna Lombard quickly realized she had to become a smart shopper and stretch her dollars further.
She stumbled upon a consignment store in Gulfport, which allowed her to purchase high-end pieces on a budget. Soon, she didn’t let a week pass before stopping in to see what new treasures had arrived.
“At the time, I had no idea what consignment meant, but I knew the merchandise I was shopping for was used, but in really great shape, and sold for a reasonable price,” Lombard says. “After a month of shopping consignment, I started to study this process and had a yard sale myself one day.”
The yard sale got her thinking: If she could make several hundred dollars in an hour, what if she did the same thing six days a week? That a-ha moment put her on the path to entrepreneurship, and in 2001, she started looking for a place to open her own store.
Today, she is the owner and manager of Anna’s Closet Upscale Consignment Boutique, located near the heart of downtown Gulfport. The boutique offers gently used furniture and home décor pieces, clothes, formalwear, shoes, handbags and more.
“My desire is to offer a place where everyone in the family can visit and find a unique, one-of-a-kind bargain.”
Her patrons, Lombard says, are typically tourists or locals looking to upgrade their lifestyle on a budget. Like her, they have an appreciation for nice things.
“My eye has always been drawn to that dress made of the highest-quality silk or linen fabric,” she says. “I find that when I’m watching older movies, I love the design of the clothing and the quality of the merchandise.”
At a very young age, Lombard recalls flipping through Vogue magazine, wishing she owned or designed the clothes in the photographs. While attending the University of Southern Mississippi on an athletic scholarship, she discovered her passion for fashion merchandising.
So far, watching her business grow has been the biggest reward of entrepreneurship for Lombard. Once a shop offering a few gently used items, Anna’s Closet has become a shopping destination for women enjoying a girls’ day or weekend. The owner delights in the joy she sees on new customers’ faces when they stumble upon her store, which they call a “hidden jewel.’’
With many couples now frequenting the boutique, Lombard says, the store has added a “man cave” dedicated to guys. Another space has been carved out for readers to enjoy their favorite books.
“Our next goal is to offer an even larger area for our brides-to-be,” Lombard says. “Currently, our brides have gowns to select from, and we desire to offer a more upscale selection of wedding gowns, flowers, bridal items and shoes.”
Above all, she aims to provide what she discovered during her first consignment store experience — a way to acquire beautiful, unique things at an affordable price.
“My desire,” she says, “is to offer a place where everyone in the family can visit and find a unique, one-of-a-kind bargain.”
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