GoLO Jacksonville

Tori Poor, Co-Owner,
That Poor Girl

Style is the buzzword at That Poor Girl. Co-owners Tori Poor and Linda Blake stock their cozy King Street store at Whiteway Corner with an eclectic blend of vintage clothing, fashion jewelry and unique accessories to complement your modern wardrobe. When we meet on Friday afternoon, Tori is dressed in a black baby doll peignoir set accented with a gold belt and snow leopard ballet shoes, adding her contemporary flair to this classic look. Her sense of style dispels the myth that vintage clothing means outdated fashions or is intended only to be worn as costumes. “You can put a vintage top with a modern skirt and put chunky heels on and you’ve got something walking down the runway,” the trendy stylist advises. “There are so many things you can do with vintage. It can be new.” 

 Having grown up with parents active in estate sales and antiques, Tori has long appreciated and collected diverse clothing and accessories from the past. Since her teenaged years, Tori shared fond memories of spending time searching for unique fashions and hearing stories about vintage clothing she bought at funky second-hand shops, like Time Warp, formerly in Riverside’s Five Points. When that shop closed, she began her own quest to keep vintage designs and their back stories alive for other young fashionistas. “It’s not just old clothes or thrift stores. Vintage clothing has a story behind it. If you pick out a dress, I probably know the story behind it,” said Tori. Originally, she sold pieces from her treasure trove at her parents’ store, including their current shop, A Champions Consignment, before branching off to her own store with her business partner. United by their shared sense of style, Tori credits Linda’s business sense and financial support with helping her to further channel her creative talents as they launched their enterprise. They learned about the availability of the intimate King Street space through Craig’s List and jumped at the chance to start their business small, growing it over time. Longer-term, they hope to expand their retailing efforts online through eBay for vintage clothing and Etsy for hand-crafted accessories. 

Currently, these two retailers are often busy styling photo shoots at Brasil + West Photography or providing unique fashions for budding Jacksonville photographers, filmmakers and models for “Test Shoot Tuesdays” at Bubble Wrap Studio. When the duo tends their shop, they favor a relaxed atmosphere and enjoy sharing stories behind each fashion item or accessory with their customers. They appreciate the diversity of the King Street scene, including a customer who seeks out fun accessories for his fashionable Jack Russell Terrier. “There are so many interesting people who walk by here. I love it,” adds Tori. The boutique also promotes local artists including original acrylic paintings by Sebastian “Troy” Pierre and hand-made jewelry, hair bows and rings by Shantel Niblock and Anthony Danes (both are on Facebook). For other young retailers, Tori notes that it is important “to stay motivated. You have to push yourself and stay focused. Stay open for as long as you can, be here as often as you can. And keep following your instincts. For me, if I see something that inspires me I am going to run with it. Don’t ignore inspiration.”

Oct. 13 – Upcoming Charity
Photoshoot Contest

These talented stylists are supporters of local charities, including Girls Rock Camp, which provides opportunities for young girls, ages 9 to 16, to participate in workshops on music, creativity, songwriting, peer collaboration, and confidence-building. They are also looking forward to styling contestants in a 1960s/1970s-themed Charity Photoshoot Contest, organized and hosted by model Sarah Ann Smith, Manikin Model and Talent Agency, on October 13. Local photographers, Brasil + West Photography and Daryna Barykina will be taking photos of up-and-coming professional and amateur models with the winners helping to direct proceeds to local charities along with being awarded fun prizes.

If you are looking to make that one-of-a-kind fashion statement, to enhance your daily wardrobe or to receive professional styling for a special event or creative portfolio, make an appointment with the gifted team at That Poor Girl. Call them at 904-525-0490, stop by 1504 King Street at Whiteway Corner, or friend them on Facebook.

 –Bridges DelPonte - www.bridgesdelponte.com

This Saturday, bring your family and the family wagon to the Fourth Street Car Wash at the corner of Main and 4^th Streets in Historic Springfield to welcome summer where the Springfield Area Merchants and Business Association (SAMBA) are hosting a cookout to welcome one of Springfield’s newest LoLo businesses to the neighborhood.

SAMBA’s Board Members will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and serving complimentary lunch to customers of the Car Wash and area residents on Saturday, June 11 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. SAMBA will also be giving away gift certificates for future FREE car washes.

The Fourth St Car Wash can take care of those love bugs!

The Fourth Street Car Wash offers stellar service at reasonable prices, beginning at only $6 for a basic wash. Industrial grade vacuums are always free for customers or you can have it done for you while you enjoy air conditioned comfort in the lounge. Proprietor Silas Jones looks forward to adding you to his list of satisfied customers. So, grab a dog or burger while the Fourth Street Car Wash takes care of those pesky love bugs. Then, you can jump in your fresh ride and get dessert at City Kidz Ice Cream Cafe, Tres Leches or Sweet Pete’s! In Springfield, there are numerous choices, each with its own style.

The Springfield Area Merchants and Business Association was organized to support the growth, development and success of

City Kidz has cool treats.

businesses located in and near Historic Springfield. We offer bi-monthly membership meetings and monthly member socials to facilitate networking and educational opportunities. SAMBA board members represent the interests of neighborhood businesses through participation in the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce (Downtown Council), the Go Local initiative, the Urban Core Citizens Planning Advisory Committee, and the Springfield Roundtable. We collaborate with other neighborhood organizations and local government to enhance the quality of life in our business district and surrounding neighborhoods, and will announce several exciting new initiatives soon.

Please join SAMBA on Saturday to celebrate Springfield and support the Fourth Street Car Wash and Springfield’s other locally owned businesses!



On a recent Wednesday evening, Bistro AIX served up a variety of hors d’oeuvres and Happy Hour cocktails to a group of San Marco Merchants Association members who had gathered for the group’s quarterly business mixer and a seminar.  The restaurant had its usual full house in the main dining room, busy on a Wednesday evening, while those who own and operate many of the on- and off-Square businesses enjoyed a relaxing couple of hours together.

The San Marco Merchants Association grew by record numbers in 2010. With strong leadership and a commitment to generating community cohesiveness in the Square and the neighborhood, the merchants work hard to make San Marco an attractive place to do business. They plan and host community events that bring liveliness and fun to the Square and the neighborhood, the most notable of 2010 being the all new Affair on the Square which is held on the third Thursday of every month.

The ONXY Bar was the backdrop for the mixer with ample room for mingling and socializing.

Woodfired Pizzas, Crispy Blue Cheese Chips, Moroccan Pork & Sweet Grape Kabobs & Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil "Cheese Sticks" were offered at the mixer.

The mixer was a fun and relaxed evening for the merchants – both on the Square and off the Square, to socialize amongst themselves; a change of pace from the everyday busyness of a business person’s life.  ”The mixers are a way to bring a social aspect to our business organization, which is a great benefit of membership and way to expand your professional and personal connections,” explained SMMA President, Desiree Bailey of the San Marco Bookstore.

“With a strong and vibrant merchants organization, we put a unified voice to the community of merchants.  A strong business district, filled with “independents” is vital to preserving the historic charm and vitality of the area,” added Sarah Marie Johnston, Director of Marketing and Partner at Bistro AIX.

The San Marco independent business owners care about the San Marco community and the quality of life here. Membership in the merchants association along with helping to plan events are all ‘extras’ that they give, in addition to maintaining their businesses in the neighborhood. Together, with the support of residents and guests, everyone comes together to create a very special community atmosphere.  Going local is easy in San Marco!

~Contributed by Jeannie Greenwald