GoLO Jacksonville

You might not immediately notice the Beer30 sign above a simple glass doorway near the corner of King and Park Streets.  But when you walk inside, co-owners, Warren Fryefield and Justen Mann, have conjured up a diverse world of craft beers from local, national and international microbreweries on their well-stocked store shelves. With interesting names like Cigar City Batch 69 Double Cream Ale and Heathen Imp Black IPA, the team has pulled together about 600 varieties of beers, for the discerning and casual beer drinker alike.  While I was in the store, a happy patron bought a six-pack of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, a UK brand, with its blend of tart dark chocolate, toasted malts, oats and hazelnut to try out.

Justen Mann.
co-owner, Beer30

Fryefield had long given thought to opening a craft brew store, but a visit to Hop City in Atlanta over a year ago was the catalyst for drawing up more formal plans with Mann to bring craft beers to Riverside.  The self-taught craft beer fans began to work on their idea in December 2011 and things progressed quite rapidly.  By June 1, 2012, they opened their doors to the public in an area that is quickly becoming Jacksonville’s “Beer District” for beer connoisseurs with other gastro pubs and taverns popping up along this stretch of King Street. “We wanted to offer King Street a good package store without having to go all over the place, with a great selection of American craft beer,” said Mann.  Working with beer distributors, the two selected as many different kinds of quality brews within their allotted ranges.  Over time, the duo has discovered and picked up new breweries and beer lines as they seek to keep their inventory fresh while retaining old favorites for their customers.  “We’re striving to bring in the best possible beer that we can and keep Riverside stocked on good beer,” added Mann.  The store helps to support Jacksonville’s burgeoning brewery scene with selections from Bold City Brewery, Intuition Ale Works and Green Room Brewing.  The team has also collaborated with neighbor, Pele’s Wood Fire restaurant on some initial beer tastings.  Longer-term, the owners are currently working on plans to obtain their license allowing consumption of alcohol on the business premises, so they can do beer tastings on site.

Festive craft beer displays inside Beer30

For the holiday season, Mann recommended Delirium’s Noël, Peak Organic’s Winter Session Ale and Southern Tier’s 2XMAS, brewed with oranges and figs, as some great winter brews.  Any time of year, he confides that some of his favorites are Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale and Nectar Ale’s Black Xantus Stout. Mann admits that he tried to brew his own beer once, but had little luck.  “I’d like to do it a lot more.  But it is an art form.  The people who can do it are pretty impressive,” notes Mann.

Asked about his words of advice for other entrepreneurs, Mann suggests that a new business “should never underestimate the “build out”.  The shelving was going to be a one day job, and it turned into a two-week project.  Give yourself ample time and don’t rush yourself.”The store has already helped out other local organizations with beer gift baskets and looks forward to working with other area businesses and charitable organizations over time. So help yourself or the beer lover in your life to discover some wonderful craft beer selections at Beer30.  Visit them at 1271 King Street, Jacksonville, FL, 904-388-0033, or friend them on Facebook for special announcements, upcoming events and store coupons.  You’ll be glad you made the time for Beer30!

–Bridges DelPonte, http://www.bridgesdelponte.com

Downtown Divas, 1001 Park St., Five Points in Riverside

As a high-school teen, Stephanie Betts loved to shop at the original Downtown Divas in Melbourne, Florida with its trendy fashions and down-to-earth prices. Stephanie dreamed of running her own store as she honed her retail fashion skills at national retailers, Dillard’s and Pier 1 Imports. Although her love of animals initially led her to a full-time career as a surgical veterinary nurse, Stephanie’s dream of being her own boss persisted for over a decade. Yet she finally realized her goal, opening a Downtown Diva store two years ago in Riverside’s Five Points, along with her husband, Tim. Like many women today, she juggles several roles as wife, mother of a six-year old, surgical veterinary nurse and business owner.

With her big smile and bubbly energy, Stephanie chats animatedly about the fun of bringing in new clothes “selecting what you like” to share with her customers. The store stocks distinctive clothing and fashion accessories from both national brands and local designers, including Nicole Lee, ElegantLee (Pink) Underground, Samantha Meritt, AlaArt and Manisha Joshi, Sunisha Designs. Stephanie encourages her clientele to “take a little more of a risk with color” and add fun accents, like hats, to their wardrobes. But she adds that “the little black dress is always in style.” She adds that many shoppers are surprised at the reasonable prices on unique, metropolitan fashions at Downtown Divas. “We like to say that we offer “boutique brands without boutique prices.” 

The owners promote a “casual, laid back style” in their store where patrons can freely browse and try on diverse fashions and accessories without the hassles of aggressive sales staff. Despite the lagging economy, Stephanie exudes optimism and counsels patience to other new entrepreneurs growing young businesses.  She believes that you have to be happy in whatever you are doing to be successful and that it is better to go for it than be filled with “what if” regrets. 

The Betts regularly host various “Meet the Artist (or Designer)” events to highlight talented local fashion creators. The retail team also looks forward to their annual participation in events, such as the Riverside Wine Festival, Five Points Spring Fest and the Southern Women’s Show where friends and models walk the runaway in fashions from Downtown Divas.  The co-owners are also supporters of Breast Cancer Awareness and the Jacksonville Humane Society which pleases shop dogs, Crush and Minnie. 

For fashionistas looking to be noticed for their distinctive fashion sense, stop by Downtown Divas at 1001 Park Street, contact them at 904-683-0514, by e-mail at info@jaxdivas.com or friend them on Facebook. 

–BridgesDelPonte, www.bridgesdelponte.com

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

As two busy attorneys at different Jacksonville law firms, they knew all too well the stresses of demanding careers and hectic personal lives.  Yet each followed a different path to the study and practice of yoga before joining forces in September 2008 to establish Lotus Yoga.  About ten years ago, a friend invited Bonnie, a former triathlete and long-distance runner, to attend a yoga class at the YMCA.  After taking a few initial classes, Bonnie felt a sense of both energy and relaxation.  “I had no idea how worn out I was…A seed was planted,” she notes.  Soon she began attending classes regularly and knew “something began changing inside of me.  I started to feel better; the seed was taking root.”  Her business partner, Bethany had previously studied dance and gymnastics before training as a spring board and tower diver.  About eight years ago, she started to practice yoga as a natural blend of “the strength of gymnastics, the grace of dance, the weightlessness of diving.”  And like Bonnie, Bethany realized that her yoga practice was “most importantly, a path for transformation and spiritual growth.”

If you’re looking for a way to restore and reenergize yourself, pull on that loose, comfortable clothing, grab that yoga mat and a bottle of water and stop by Lotus Yoga at 869 Stockton Street, Suite 7, across from The John Gorrie, or check them out on the Web at lotusyogajax.com.

–Bridges DelPonte, http://www.bridgesdelponte.com

The angelic face that guards the doorway to Jane Doe is only the first clue that you’ve stumbled across a little slice of retail heaven.

Inside, the boutique’s soft lighting and carefully curated fashion palette create a serene, welcoming environment that echoes the calm, warm nature of its service-minded owner, AnnMarie Luque.  When she opened the Five Points store in June 2011, Ms. Luque wanted her boutique to be “a peaceful, relaxing sanctuary” with “a different type of energy that allows for creativity and a certain level of comfort for our customers….I think you have to get to know people to help them buy clothes and that environment needs to be like a cocoon.”  At Jane Doe, Ms. Luque feels privileged to be able to serve and to work as a “retail matchmaker” offering her customers “wearable solutions” that fuse their personal style with the demands of their daily life at a moderate, reasonable price. 

Although new to Jacksonville, Ms. Luque ran a successful boutique in the heart of St. Augustine for several years before outgrowing that location.  Her Jacksonville retail haven more than doubled her floor space and allowed her to operate her business in a friendly, close-knit community of independent merchants.  This boutique owner believes in the importance and power of building a sense of community by patronizing your neighborhood businesses as proposed in the 3/50 Project, a national version of our local GOLo campaign.  With her accent on service and community, Ms. Luque has already become actively involved in local and national charities, regularly donating new clothing to the local Salvation Army, offering supplies and books to area school groups and supporting the Lottie Moon Offering, which aids missionaries serving others internationally.

Jane Doe owner, AnnMarie Luque

A former jewelry designer, she often personally works with U.S. clothing designers to create patterns that blend together a mix of classic cuts and styling with a contemporary artistic twist.  “Jackie O. meets Andy Warhol,” she quips.  These unique fashions are typically limited to six copies of a particular design.  Ms. Luque also enjoys finding clothing and other goods that you do not see in the malls or catalogs and prefers to avoid fads while helping customers “to feel new about themselves.”  She would love to see some of the styles of the 1940s make a comeback, including beautiful leg wear and hosiery.  Whenever possible, she also tries to buy clothing, jewelry, scents, candles and home fashions made in the United States to help the domestic economy thrive.

Mud Pie Fashion at Jane Doe

Though less than a year old, Jane Doe customers clearly agree with the store’s brand of quality products and personal service, voting the store as the Best New Boutique of 2012 in Jacksonville Magazine.  The humble owner only found out about the honor when fellow merchants and customers began to congratulate her on the award.  She suggests that new entrepreneurs wanting to be successful  should “learn by doing,” working their way up through their chosen field and always remembering the reasons why you chose to serve in that field.

So take a break from your frenetic schedule and stop by Jane Doe at 1027 Park Street, Tues.-Sat., 10:00 to 5:00/6:00, call them at 904-356-0027 or friend Jane Doe on Facebook to learn more about their special retail events and plans for their upcoming first anniversary.

–Bridges DelPonte, http://www.bridgesdelponte.com