Making the jump from relationship expert to small business owner may seem like a huge career change for some. But for Tionna Smalls, it's one in the same.
You might remember Smalls from the VH1 reality show, "What Chilli Wants," where Smalls played relationship expert to singer Chili of the 90's, all-girl, hip hop group, TLC.
Well, the Brooklyn native last week launched an accessories boutique for women in Bed-Stuy called Lovey's, located at 377 Marcus Garvey Boulevard, between Hancock Street and Jefferson Avenue. The boutique features a wide range of high-end and affordable jewelry, handbags and gifts.
"I love the neighborhood and I love the community of Bed-Stuy," said Smalls. "You can tell there are a lot of people here who are either fabulous or want to be fabulous, and I think I can help them out."
Smalls said that she considers herself a visionary and that vision came in handy when creating Lovey's. After taking over the space, she knocked down the six-foot ceiling and installed a higher one, got rid of the old lighting and removed the rusted and peeling paint on the wall.
The transformation resulted in a space that's fashionably chic, yet fun and playful. Bright pink walls surround the shop and a naked mannequin draped in necklaces stands on one side. Accessories and bags line the side walls and fill the front counter display, while a table full of brightly colored jewelry sits in the middle of the store.
"What's great about how the accessories are setup is that it makes the store look bigger than it actually is," said Smalls. "Even though it's less than 500 square feet, you don't feel cramped walking around here."
The items that Smalls sells at Lovey's are intended to be affordable for the Bed-Stuy community. Nothing is over $100, and most of the bags run for about $30. Several different pairs of earrings are on display for $10 or less. Items also can be returned in the same condition with a receipt for store credit.
In addition to selling accessories, Smalls says she plans to use the space for a series of neighborhood events.
"We're hosting a party for Halsey Street Grill, and I'd love to start having a series of all-women pow-wows and conferences here where we can have some real talk," said Smalls.
From the start of her career, Smalls has always worked for herself. In addition to having her own relationship advice column on Gawker.com, she hosted her own Internet radio show on BlogTalkRadio and released an advice book for women called, "Girl, Get Your Mind Right."
She's now preparing to release her second book and the season-two kick-off of "What Chili Wants" the first week of January 2011.
"With my attitude, I need to be my own boss," said Smalls with a laugh. "This store feels like a natural progression to me because I've always been about helping women. My blog tried to help women with their relationships and now my store will help them look fabulous."
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