Small Clothing Store Has Neighborly Goals.

photo by Glynn Romero

by Mike Kravinsky

There are plenty of motivations for starting a business: independence, growth, money, building something. Jackie Flanagan's motivation is to be part of a neighborhood. "I love having a neighborhood shop," says Flanagan. "You're living there, you're working there, you feel like you get to know your neighbors."

Flanagan is the owner of Nana, a women's clothing store in Washington, D.C. She started the shop eight years ago, after leaving an administrative career. "I wasn't happy in my job anymore," she says, "There wasn't anything wrong with the company, I just wasn't happy."

For seven years Flanagan worked in the corporate world. She had jobs in marketing, advertising, publishing, and non-profits. Throughout that time, she also worked weekends in small retail clothing and furniture stores. "At first I sort of did it for extra spending money," remembers Flanagan. As time went on, and her corporate salary increased, Flanagan continued to work in those shops. "When that (money) was no longer needed, I just kept doing it because I loved it." Working in retail is when she had the most fun. Flanagan used the opportunity to learn not only sales, but also the nuts and bolts of running a retail business.

The decision to become a business owner took some  time, involving much discussion with her then boyfriend Joe Pangelinan. They were both in their late 20's; and Pangelinan, a pilot for American Airlines, suggested that since they hadn't put down roots anywhere, she should explore. "Go back to school, start a different career. If we want to move, we could... why not?" Flanagan recalls him saying.

As they discussed the future, Flanagan thought that she really would like to have a neighborhood shop somewhere. "Joe's eyes lit up," says Flanagan. "It was as if we hit on the right answer." From that point, according Flanagan, "There was really no looking back."

Flanagan thought about what she wanted to sell. She liked furniture and had worked in furniture stores, but felt there were already plenty of furniture stores in the DC area. She didn't see the need for another one. Flanagan remembered some advice she once received: "If you want to see what your hobbies are, take a look at your credit card bill." She did. Her hobby was clothes. "I've never considered myself a style maven," she says, " (but) I've grown to love and appreciate hand made smaller lined individual clothing like art." Flanagan realized it may be fun and smart to open a neighborhood clothing store.

The name and concept of the store is a nod to Flanagan's grandmother, who lives in Boston. "My Nana ...is the touchstone for the little things that make up style that you can't define," says Flanagan, "Things like a handkerchief in a sleeve, or a little mirror to carry with your lipstick. She always has a nice outfit even when she's relaxing... Growing up, when I thought of style and putting pieces together that work, she was always the image in my head… There's an elegance and grace to it, but it's genuine."

With that idea, Flanagan left her corporate job. The previous job paid on commission, so she knew how much money would be coming within the next six months due to pending sales. Armed with savings and a small loan, she took the plunge. It was very important to Flanagan not to have to rely on Pangelinan for money.

Flanagan found an affordable retail space in the Washington D.C. U Street Corridor within two weeks. "I call it the 'ripping the band-aid off' method of starting a business," she says. Flanagan believed she had to move on the process or she would question herself and her decision.  Research for the location was quite intuitive: she stood outside and counted the women who walked by. She would say to herself, "She could buy this. She could buy this. She could buy this." Flanagan noticed, "All of these people are walking home after work in a neighborhood that I don't recall (their) walking home (in) after work before." Flanagan realized Nana would be on their new path.

Although she didn't want to burden Pangelinan with the financial concerns, he did help by building fixtures and getting the space ready; a job that would often have him in the store late into the evening. The entire process - from business plan, to set up, to opening - took six months.

For eight years, Nana was a fixture on U Street. As time went on, though, Flanagan realized that what made Nana successful was changing. "After eight years being in the space where everyone was walking home from work, I started to realize those people were moving to other places," she says. Using the same research that convinced her to open Nana in that first location, Flanagan concluded, "It was really becoming a different kind of neighborhood than the one we opened in...not bad, just different."

Being a small store gave Flanagan the flexibility to reinvent Nana. She decided to close the store and move to another area of D.C. Just like eight years earlier, she walked around the Mount Pleasant neighborhood and noticed, "I couldn't walk anywhere in this neighborhood and not see Nana customers." At the end of 2010, Flanagan closed her store on U Street.

The new Nana will open in March 2011. Just like eight years earlier, Pangelinan built the fixtures.  However, he is now her husband and they have two children. She very much sees Joe as her co-owner and co-partner. "We're still on this wild ride," laughs Flanagan. They will sell not only women's clothing and accessories, but also Joe's hand crafted furniture.

Flanagan's goal for Nana was to be a not only viable business, but also a neighborhood business. "I'm really a lover of neighborhood shops," she stressed. "Everyone's definition of success... is very personal and very different. When I came to understand what my definition of success is and be comfortable with it, that's when I've been happiest."