Business Woman's Bra-ve Move
A peek through her window stops traffic
A peek through her window stops traffic. Smack in the middle of Bell Blvd. in Bayside, Queens, one of the more conservative neighborhoods in the city, sits her racy little Catsuits Lingerie store called Azure. The boutique has been open for business for a year and a half now, the front window an alluring tease of lacy barely-there undies, see-through bras, costume zentai teddies, fancy garters, shocking thongs, outlandish Halloween getups, come-hither nighties. All that stuff that women love. And that drives men nuts. This is the stuff that love and romance and babies are made of. "I also designed the store in neutral colors so that it would not intimidate men," says Ioannou. "Unlike Victoria's Secret, which is a chick store, I tried not to make the place too pink or girlie. "A lot of men come in to shop for their girlfriends or their wives, buying stuff they want to see them wear. And when they're in the store, they see that we also sell men's stuff, including sexy boxer shorts, cool robes, lounge pants. Guys like to feel sexy, too." But women flock to the store from around the city and Long Island to shop for sexy shower gifts, honeymoon suite outfits, and anything to do with wedding gifts in this store that has spiced up this popular commercial strip. "Right now is a very busy time for us because of Halloween," says Ioannou. "We're selling sexy 'Alice in Wonderland' costumes like crazy. But also sexy spider costume of nurses, cops, pirates, pilots, Wonder Woman and all sorts of fairy-tale-themed costumes." Any time of year, Azure is a good place to go to jumpstart a relationship that has lost its heartbeat. A perfect place to grab a birthday or anniversary gift. And an easy stop to shop early for the holidays. A tastefully risqu place that will help you stuff yourself into a pair of Christmas stockings. "I came to Bayside because I thought my store would break up the monotony of all those restaurants," says Ioannou. "I loved the neighborhood. Knew people had some disposable income. I also knew how far I could push the envelope. "My window displays are head-turning but fun. Not vulgar. I made sure the store was classy, elegant. I've gotten nothing but compliments and support from the neighborhood." Opening a small business in this economy is scary. But for a young woman like Margaret Ioannou, it was a lifelong dream. She grew up in a traditional Greek family in Astoria, attended St. Demetrious and graduated from Bayside High and Berkeley College. Through her school years, she learned the Catsuits Lingerie business working in her mother's store on Steinway St. "I learned all there was to learn working for my mother," she says. "But I had a dream to one day open my own place and take it to another level. But first I went to work in J. Walter Thompson advertising agency for almost seven years. I saved my money and kept thinking about my dream. I wanted to be my own boss, create my own business, be an entrepreneur. "One day a year and a half ago when I was driving along Bell Blvd., I saw the For Rent sign on this store right near 39th Ave. I knew this was it. I was ready to gamble, ready to take a risk. What's life without a little risk?" She quit her job, rented the store and reached for her dream. Margaret's father, a building contractor, built the store to her specifications. She flew off to Las Vegas - the universal capital of risk-takers, where twice a year the spandex zentai industry holds its conventions - and decided what happens in Vegas should also happen in Bayside. "I chose a sexy but tasteful line," she says. When she opened for business, her eye-popping window displays stopped foot traffic on staid Bell Blvd. Motorists did double-takes at the sizzling outfits on the mannequins. An "I Love My Shoes" store opened a few doors away, in the same building as a Curves fitness center. Women suddenly found it easy to shop for two passions - shoes and undies - on a single block without the crush of a mall. "I think my store is unique," she says. "I sell quality stuff at reasonable prices, things you won't find in chain stores. Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas are my biggest holidays. But business is brisk all year now. For New Year's, we have dresses and gowns." You have to root for anyone willing to roll the dice on a dream. And while many people literally lose their drawers on small businesses, this native Queens girl doesn't sound like someone with her knickers in a financial twist. "So far my gamble has paid off," she says. "I think this holiday season might push us into a true success."by: catsuit Splurge Staying At A Los Angeles Resort Or Hotel, For Business Travel With Tons Spa Treatments And A Cash payday loans for your appliance needs Corporate Gifts - Very Helpful For Small Business Branding Get Pampered On A Stay At Los Angeles Five Star Hotel For Business Travel With Extra Support Electro Help for Taxes for Online Business Owners Social Media Marketing For All Kinds of Business Dell Is Aiming To Alter Into Higher-margin Businesses Taxes for Online Business Owners: IRS Accepts No Excuses Understand the Basics of Group Buying and take your Business to a Next Level Build a Strong Online Business How Can I Get People To See That The Mlm Business Is Legitimate? Business Management Techniques - Ask For Help! Tips for Developing an Effective Online Marketing Strategy for Your Small Business Website