Shaney Swift is the current director of Encore Resale Store, a not-for-profit on Hyde Park Boulevard that sells unique men and women’s clothing and accessories at affordable prices. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Baylor University, Swift happily took over the store in 2017, working to both rebrand the shop as well as to increase its various philanthropic efforts in order to benefit the Hyde Park community! We talked to Swift to shed more light on the store’s history, mission, and future.
What initially sparked your interest in fashion?
I actually wasn't super interested in fashion before working at Encore, believe it or not! I did enjoy putting outfits together and shopping as much as any other woman, and I read fashion magazines and watched a ton of What Not to Wear growing up, but I didn't really start learning about designer brands and keeping up with trends prior to working at Encore. I got involved because I was passionate about the idea of business as a social enterprise. Of course businesses need to make money to pay the bills, but I think businesses can also be forces for positive change in their communities, which is what Encore is focused on. Getting to play with fashion is a huge bonus!
When we entered the store, Mary greeted us warmly and offered her advice about the pieces we tried on.
How would you describe your personal style?
I would describe my own personal style as very classic and feminine, but also sporty--think Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger. I don't change up a lot with fashion trends, and I consider Kate Middleton to be the epitome of how I wish I could dress. In the winter I wear a lot of plaid skirts with boots and black sweaters, and in the summer I tend to wear a lot of single-step outfits and just put on a dress!
Do you remember a specific, favorite piece of clothing that you sold at the store?
I do! There was a dark pink plaid shift dress. I think it was by Trina Turk, but I'm not 100% positive. It looked really similar to this dress right here. I remember it not because of the dress itself, but because the girl who bought it told me she was going to court in a few days to get a restraining order against her abusive ex-boyfriend and was going to wear the dress to court. She looked simultaneously professional and strong in the dress, but it was also super flattering on her and made her look good. I love how clothing does that for us, especially women--when we need to feel a certain way about ourselves, the right piece of clothing can give us that feeling. I've had women come in when trying to get jobs, fresh from divorces, or going to celebrations, and I love the look on their face when they find exactly the right piece of clothing to wear.
What role does Encore play in the surrounding community? It says on your website that you invest your profits in local small businesses, schools, and community programs. Can you talk more about this?
This is my favorite part of Encore! Our most recent donations were to the Kenwood Academy football team and to Sunshine Enterprises in Woodlawn, an organization that provides Woodlawn entrepreneurs with education and support. We also always give a small donation to anybody who comes by and asks (for example, Bret Harte students came by once to ask for donations for their field trip to Washington, DC.) I strongly believe that businesses are just as much a part of a community as any other organization, and have a responsibility to give back to the community whenever possible.
We partner with other organizations such as Heartland Alliance to provide clothes for people in hard situations--they e-mail us as they have needs and we donate clothing to them if it fits their needs. We also help any homeless people that come into our shop--whether that's giving them a pair of jeans and a T-shirt for free, or letting them have a pair of shoes or coat at a greatly reduced price. All of the merchandise at Encore is donated to us at no cost, which allows us to be generous with those who need help, and we're very thankful for that.
What does the future look like for Encore?
I'm excited about Encore's future! We just did a big redecorating and re-branding, so now it's less like your grandmother's closet (how Encore has been described before) and more like a resale boutique that's easy to navigate. We're looking to expand into selling more items online and via social media (our instagram is @encore_resale_store), especially our vintage and high-end designer items. More and more people have been shopping online, which brings both good and bad for a small store like us (bad: fewer people walk into our store on a daily basis. Good: We can reach more people who don't live nearby.) We've been getting more donations of designer items too, which is great! Encore's reputation so far has been a place to get stuff for really low prices, but I hope to build up Encore's reputation as a place to get really good deals on vintage and designer items too. Those sales really help make money for the store, which in turn enable us to make more donations into the community.
