Retail Roundup: Blacksburg woman is behind emerging jean company; updates on Wing Boss, Naticakes and Bloop
Ruell and Ray selvedge denim. Photo courtesy of Ashley James.
A Blacksburg woman with an entrepreneurial streak and a hankering for great jeans started her own line of selvedge denim that is catching on with specialty shops from Richmond to New York City.
Ashley James, 28, is the sole owner of Ruell and Ray, the jean company she named after her grandparents.
The Clemson business graduate started the company two and a half years ago with a $30,000 loan from a family friend, about $10,000 of her own money, 30 yards of denim and a seamstress she found on Craigslist.
Now the company, which started manufacturing men’s jeans, is set to release a women’s line early next year and expects to be profitable by the end of the year, James said.
The company sets itself apart by using fabric that is no longer in production, called deadstock. James also sources the thread, rivets and buttons from companies in the United States.
James started by ripping apart several pairs of jeans so she could study the construction and come up with her own pattern. But she didn’t know anything about pattern making or sewing and her patterns were terrible, she said. So she placed an ad on Craigslist for a seamstress. She got a response from a woman who took James’ 30 yards of denim and made 12 pairs of men’s jeans.
James gave those jeans to some male friends who tried them.
“It just kind of snowballed from there,” she said.
Read more about James and her company in the column.
Also in the column, Wing Boss owner Gene Brown is planning a Dec. 1 opening; Vinton will get its first frozen yogurt shop, and Naticakes is still planning to open at the Bonsack Kroger.
November 12, 2012 - 6:00 AM
Any more word on Bananna Republic. I keep hearing they may be coming??
@Chris: I have not been able to confirm that, plus, Valley View Mall is 100 percent occupied, so there is no room there. That’s not to say they couldn’t open a store elsewhere, but Banana Republic hasn’t responded to my inquiries.
Any word on what is being built at the Crossroads dealership in Roanoke ? They are erecting a building in between the Mercedes and Jaguar dealership and I am just curious what its going to be! Thanks!
@Justin: I haven’t seen that construction so thanks for asking. I’ll make a call and get back to you.
Saw yesterday that Smoothie King is opening at lower level of Towers mall. Can you get an opening date? Looks to fairly soon, sign is already up.
@Bryan: Smoothie King plans to open mid to late December. I am writing more about the store for Sunday’s Retail Roundup column.
Amanda you might want to chack with Valley View. Had heard a while back they were going to consider building out in front of Sears-Ditract 2. I know choptile wants out there so maybe BR/ Choptile will locate out there as well. Have heard lots of retail waiting to get in there!
Since this seems to be the business info page, when will Bayou Lucy open for dinner? Went by there Saturday night and saw a big “Now Open” sign but the place was dark. We’re not going to guess anymore, the owner needs to be more forthcoming with her plans or we’re writing it off. Thanks.
@Chris: I talked to the mall manager several weeks ago about whether they have plans to build out Valley View again like they did with The District. She said that at this time they don’t have any plans. If they did, that’d be huge news. It seems like they don’t really have much space out there, anyway, seeing as how three pad sites are taken for restaurants. And as for the piece of land across the interstate, it will be years before we see anything happen with that.
@Art: I’ll give Yolanda a call today to see what’s up. They opened last week, but I’ll make sure to ask about their hours and why they weren’t open on Saturday night.
This was from the Bayou Lucy’s thread…
30.Went to Bayou Lucy’s Saturday night and it was fantastic. The staff was very attentive and Lucy herself made us feel right at home. The alligator appetizer with bites and sausage was perfectly seasoned. The Wham Bam entree had the best piece of fried fish I have ever had on top and the etouffee underneath had a great seafood flavor. The cornbread is more like dessert, and I don’t generally like sweet cornbread, but Lucy’s is delicious. I will definitely be going back for more. I’ve been to the Quarter on several occasions and never been impressed with the food.
Comment by Robert — November 12, 2012 @ 10:25 am
What is a “Choptile”?
@Kristen: Good eye. I am still waiting back to hear from Yolanda.
@Art: Okay, I stopped in Bayou Lucy’s today for lunch and talked with Yolanda, the owner. The restaurant doesn’t open until 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays because Yolanda is a Seventh-day Adventist, who observes the sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
@David: Yolanda, the owner, said she gets her seafood shipped in from New Orleans.
So she’s not open for dinner on Friday night or lunch on Saturday? I wish her well but this is not a winning business model for a restaurant.
Thanks, Kristen and Amanda. Unfortunately, my stomach is not Seventh-day Adventist. I agree, not a winning business model for any restaurant.
I admire, and respect Yolanda for her religious convictions. Chick-fil-a anyone?
We are such a “spoiled” society today! Don’t you eat the other six days a week. Personally I try to avoid restaurants on Friday & Saturday as I’m not a fan of standing around waiting for a table. But that’s just me…
Okay, sometimes I just have to wonder what people are thinking when they open a restaurant. There’s a template for financial success. There’s a template for artistic success. Folks just seem to ignore… sigh.
Best of luck to Bayou Lucy’s & whoever takes over the building two years from now.
Steve… seriously? The point is that weekends are when people eat OUT at RESTAURANTS! If we were so “spoiled” we’d be eating out every week, not just at the weekends when it’s a “treat”. To be closed on Friday night and most of the day Saturday is… all together now… NOT A WINNING BUSINESS MODEL FOR A RESTAURANT!
Oops… I meant to say “every DAY of the week”.
…and of course we’ll be reading here a couple months from now about how they’re gonna have to close unless they get “support from the community”, then someone will schedule a “cash mob” for lunchtime Saturday and it will all become clear.
“But that’s just me…”
You know what they say about opinions. Thanks for playing.
Okay, everyone. I called Yolanda today to ask her about being closed on Saturdays. She said last Friday night she tried to close at sundown but couldn’t because they were busy, so she has decided to stay open until 10 p.m. on Fridays. She will still be closed until 5:30 p.m. Saturdays. She did say that she would open on Saturdays for parties or special orders. When I asked her whether she thought being closed most of Saturday would hurt business, she said it was important to her to observe the sabbath.
Ok well at least she’s open Friday evening.Staying open because you’re busy is the right move.
Thanks again, Amanda. Hopefully Lucy will post a menu.
Never mind. Got the menu from the other thread.