Born and raised in Ada, Georgie graduated from Kendall School of Art and Design at the top of her class and started a career as a furniture designer for Flexsteel in Iowa. When Georgie returned to Michigan to get married, she got discouraged after several promising interviews ended with questions of whether she was married and if she planned on having a family. She decided to take her entire professional wardrobe to sell on consignment. Her husband suggested instead that she start her own consignment store and later that very day, on the way to visit her mom, they spotted the “For Sale” sign on the historic post house! They made an offer and her husband, a Lowell-based dairy farmer, designed, built and sold calf hutches to afford the down payment. When she opened her doors in 1981, the concept of consignment clothing was so new, Georgie had only her own clothes in what is now the Designer Room, and local business owners advised her not to bother getting a phone. Today, 38 years later, Georgie’s is an established business with a far-reaching reputation and Georgie loves what she does.
Incidentally, Georgie’s historic post house was built in 1831 and is one of the oldest standing structures in the village of Ada and is located directly across the street from another historic landmark – the Ada Covered Bridge.
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Georgie has always appreciated fashion with quality fabrics and fine construction. In high school she excelled as a seamstress with an eye for detail and finishing. Always seeking to stretch the dollar, she and her sister would frequent area thrift stores in search of unique clothing and accessories to mix and match to create interesting wardrobe options. Georgie worked her way through college in the upholstery department in the furniture factory where her dad worked as a prototype builder, and then later in alterations at Jacobsen’s Department Store in East Grand Rapids. She never dreamed she would end up running what is now West Michigan’s premiere consignment clothing store. What started with a passion for fashion developed into what always makes a business successful – building relationships. Many of the customers that visited the shop that first year still come in to shop and bring their clothes to sell. Those relationships are the heart of what makes Georgie happy in her business. She loves people.
Brenda Cain
When Georgie’s sister, Brenda began working at Georgie’s to fill in temporarily she never expected to be there sixteen years later. After graduating from Aquinas College with a fine arts degree in painting, Brenda moved to Northern Idaho with her husband Matthew where they lived for eighteen years. She continued studying art and painting while working at the University of Idaho, first in the Graduate Division, then as office administrator at the School of Music, and finally as program coordinator for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. After moving home to Grand Rapids, she got an administrative position at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. She loves being able to work side-by-side with her sister in an environment filled with beautiful clothes, accessories and lots of laughs!
Cathy Russ
A native of Ada, Cathy Russ went to Ada Elementary School with Georgie and Brenda. She began working at Georgie’s in 1989. Cathy has a green thumb and an artistic eye when it comes to gardening. She is responsible for the beautiful English garden that graces the side of our building and in the summer months she arranges and cares for our lovely window boxes. Cathy keeps Georgie and Brenda on task in the office and is the work horse on the floor.
HOURS:
| Tuesday | 10-6 |
| Wednesday | 10-6 |
| Thursday | 10-6 |
| Friday | 10-6 |
| Saturday | 10-4 |
