Clothing Store For Young And Young At Heart

By Marla Ballard

Reporter

SCOTTSBORO, ALA – Diane Widgeon’s five grandchildren call her a “sassy nana” because she is young at heart and full of spirit, so when she opened a lady’s apparel store it just seemed fitting to name it The Sassy Nana.

Widgeons wasn’t always in the retail business, for over three decades she exercised her managerial skills at doctor’s offices in Jackson County. What led her to a change of occupation was when she went with a friend to the Atlanta Market for business owners and realized the retail business was something she would enjoy. She started her lady’s apparel business in 2018.

Like many smart business owners, Widgeons started off “dipping her toe into the water” by keeping things small and simple.  When her at-home/online business grew she moved into a more adequate rental space. The Sassy Nana has been located on “The Square” now for nearly four years.

Scottsboro has been home to six generations of Diane’s family. “The area has been good to my family; my daughter works as a teacher at Nelson Elementary School and my son is a Mechanical Engineer at Redstone Arsenal. The support I’ve received from the community has been awesome,” said Widgeons. “We had to close for two months due to the pandemic, but thankfully things picked back up.”

Widgeons makes use of social media using clothing models and videos to whet the appetite of shoppers with online views of samplings of what her shop sells. This avenue affords customers the convenience of posting a comment under a particular item of interest and checking on sizes and availability and then they may request a hold on the item(s). Widgeons will hold a potential purchase for up to 48 hours allowing time for her customers to go to the store to make their purchase. The shop also offers to ship. “I frequently ship to customers from out-of-state,” said Widgeons.

In addition to lady’s apparel, the store offers accessories and gift selections. Gifts include; home décor, fragrances, jewelry, purses, hats, and more. Ladies in the Red Hat Society should visit the shop to acquire their signature look. Widgeons hopes in the future to add a men’s clothing line to her business.

In addition to thanking the community, Widgeons said, “I also want to thank my husband Roger and my family for all of their support in this endeavor.”

The Square host’s events all through the year such as the First Monday of every month Scottsboro Trade Day. On November 5, The Square will present the Harvest Festival, these are excellent opportunities to support local businesses.

The Sassy Nana is located at 110 East Peachtree Street, Scottsboro. Hours; Tuesday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Phone: 256-609-1497. Follow on Facebook and Instagram.