apres ivan, le deluge
by jeanne charters

What’s a girl to do when her two high-end women’s fashion boutiques are wiped out by the floods of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan? Well, first she puts on her hip boots and starts shoveling out the mud. Then, she starts to think about what in heaven’s name she will do to save her businesses.

That’s exactly what happened to Mona Lax, owner of 2 on Crescent and 4 All Souls Boutique which are situated smack in the heart of Biltmore Village. Mona has a strong faith in God and a healthy sense of survival. Both of these qualities helped her to persevere through one of the most daunting challenges of her business life.

I interviewed Mona on a sunny day in December in her new, albeit temporary, quarters at 160 Hendersonville Road, next door to Bruegger’s Bagels. As always, her merchandise was beautiful and tastefully displayed. Two other retailers, also displaced by the flooding, are housed in this building. One of these is b l u e, the custom-made jewelry boutique owned by Lynn Daniel and Susan West. b l u e creates one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry made from 4 colors of gold. Their rings were featured on the cover of a recent holiday issue of This Week of Western North Carolina. The other retailer temporarily housed at 160 Hendersonville Road is The Baggie Goose, a stationery and specialty gift shop, which was one of the oldest stores in Biltmore Village. Although The Baggie Goose has been in business for over 30 years, it was purchased 5 years ago by Nancy and Danny McClinton.

Mona Lax was born in Paducah, KY, and moved, with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, to the Asheville area in 1994 for the second time. The family had lived here briefly in the 80’s. Like most of us transplants, she loves Western North Carolina and now considers it truly her home. Mona had spent more than 10 corporate years in department-store retail. She opened 2 on Crescent in April, 1996. She describes 2 on Crescent as specializing in comfortable, casual clothing. Flax is their primary line. 4 All Souls Boutique features classic, high-end women’s wear. Eileen Fisher is that store’s biggest seller. Mona also features silk scarves and other merchandise created by local craftspeople.

When asked about the recent flooding, Mona commented,”The floods hit both of my stores severely. I think the full impact of it did not hit me until a week after it happened. That was the third time in 8 years that our corner was flooded, but the first time the waters entered my stores. The cleanup effort was overwhelming. What is frustrating is that nothing appears to be being done to prevent a re-occurrence. Biltmore Village is an important part of tourism in Western North Carolina; and yet, none of our merchants ever saw any local officials visiting the devastation. Something must be done.”

When asked if she would return to her stores in Biltmore Village, Mona answered affirmatively, estimating a re-opening in their original locations for spring. She says that many of the merchants of Biltmore Village plan to return there but are looking for more interest and preventative actions from the city.

As Mona remembered the dark days of the flood, she mused, “I had great support from my husband, and it’s been really inspiring to be here in this building with other merchants who have gone through the same thing. It’s been wonderful. I feel that we have developed some close friendships. We’ve cried on each others’ shoulders. We’ve encouraged each other. It’s been a really good thing. That’s something I never anticipated…the human blessings that have come from this awful event. It was very difficult and very depressing, but I believe that we are getting through the worst of it now.”

Mona does not consider her businesses totally dependent on tourists, but adds that the additional traffic in the summer is very helpful. Her primary customer base is local. She stays on top of trends and always remembers to put her customer first. She continually has sale racks to keep inventory turning over and fresh. She also has a vital website (2oncrescent.com) that serves both former customers and new browsers who know the brand names she carries.

When asked her business philosophy, Mona laughed that she never really developed a business plan but stays solvent by being “very hands on” in regard to purchasing, pricing and bookkeeping.

“We really, really, really try to please our customers. In clothing, I believe that you are selling service as much as product. Our customers know that they will always get a friendly greeting here. We also offer in-house alterations. We practice the Golden Rule and treat all who enter our stores just as we would wish to be treated. I believe that every customer who comes through my door is sent by God, and I try to treat them accordingly. I never take them for granted.”

Mona clearly does not feel competitive toward other merchants in or outside of Asheville. When I asked her about this, she said, “Someone told me years ago that, if you mind your own business, you won’t have time to mind anyone else’s. I think that’s true.”

I can’t think of a better way to run a business!