Girls open clothing store for teens.

Byline: GUEST VIEWPOINT By Joe Mosley The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - They're 16, and school's out for the summer. Time for fun and sun? Maybe a camp? How about a summer job?

"We're hoping it lasts longer than that," says Tiffany Brown, partner with Shawna Carlson in the new City Slickers boutique at 639 Main St.

The girls, both juniors-to-be at Springfield High School, are taking a headlong leap onto what they hope will be a career track. With the help and encouragement of Carlson's mother - Winona Carlson, owner of the adjoining Jean Marie's Fabrics store - the girls opened their own clothing shop this week.

"At first it was just an idea, and then I talked to my mom, and it went from there," Shawna Carlson says. "It's, like, we're both really interested in clothing and fashion, and since my mom had this space I thought it would be cool to have my own place."

The arrangement is pretty straightforward: The girls get about 400 square feet of storefront that was previously a part of the space used for sewing classes at Jean Marie's; $1,000 of Shawna's college fund was used to buy paint, decorations and inventory, with the expectation it will be repaid; and if the business grows to the point it requires additional space, the girls will begin making rent payments.

"If her business doesn't go, the (partition) wall comes out and the classroom goes back in," Winona Carlson says. "But she's worked pretty hard at it."

The girls decorated the tiny store themselves, painting a "big city" theme on the walls and creating a window display with some of their clothing. The store's racks aren't quite full yet, but are getting there; a third order is expected to be placed this week to one supplier off a list of wholesalers Shawna compiled from Internet searches.

To begin with, the new clothiers have skirts, tops, jeans, jewelry, makeup and accessories - everything priced under $20 - though they hope to stock a few "fancy dresses" that will most likely cost more. The current selection is big on polka dots and ruffles, ranging from low-slung jeans and navel-exposing miniskirts to halter tops and snug-fitting cap-sleeved tops.

"It's all supposed to be for teenage girls - like high-fashion clothing," Shawna says. "It's all original, and some of it's designed and made by us."

Shawna has spent time in her mother's store since she was 4 months old and crawling around a playpen. She's worked there for several years, cleaning and helping out, and Tiffany has chipped in frequently over the past couple of years.

Both girls have a high interest in high fashion, and would like to make careers in retail clothing and design. In fact, both are planning to attend a four-day camp for would-be clothing designers this summer at the Art Institute of California - San Francisco.

"We just love clothes," Tiffany says. "We're obsessed."

Their store's summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and they're hoping to keep it open afternoons and evenings during the school year.

"I want to do it long-term," Shawna says. "But, like, then I want to move to California and go to fashion school."

Her mother's vision for the store is a bit more pragmatic.

"I hope it pays her way to college," Winona Carlson says.

CAPTION(S):

Partners Shawna Carlson (red shirt) and Tiffany Brown have opened a teen clothing boutique in part of a Springfield storefront owned by Shawna's, mother Winona Carlson (right). The girls hope to continue operating the City Slickers boutique part-time after school resumes.