Written By: Lanny West
For years I just did not get it....... I am not totally sure I get it now. Every week my wife came home with new handbags in tow. Not just any ordinary handbags but designer handbags and not the “so five minutes ago” designer handbags but unique, designer handbags from young, new, upcoming designers world wide. I can remember some years back while on a trip to London she purchased several handbags from two newly discovered designers, Anya Hindmarch and LuLu Guinness, well before there was a U.S. craze for either. Well, I did not realize just how bad her “Purse” addiction was until one day I discovered a total of 57 handbags in her closet and drawers. Recently I discovered that her obsession actually started at age 3 after looking through some of her family photo albums. Maybe this was a passion not an addiction.
I quickly found out that the passion for handbags was not just a problem that Leslie had but it was prevalent within her group of close friends. Well something had to be done. So when Leslie jokingly said that she wanted to start a company that specialized in “sharing the passion” with other women, I thought “What a great idea!”...... she could satisfy her craving for handbags and the personal buying impulse by buying designer handbags to sell and share with other women. Well let’s just say that only part of my plan was accomplished...... the personal handbag collection now exceeds 110.
Much earlier than planned an unexpected trip to Leslie’s home town of Fairhope, Alabama for a family visit presented the opportunity to open our first boutique. The timing was right and location perfect for the very first 4Bags Boutique. With the help of Leslie’s sister Sharon; who is our operating partner in Fairhope, South Alabama is all a buzz about 4Bags. The boutique is located in The French Quarter in the heart of Fairhope, a beautiful Gulf Coast bay community located between Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL. The store is now 4 years old and just recently moved to a location twice the original size right on the main street in Fairhope.
World Wide buying trips and a continuing search for only the most unique designers and their craft has helped build a regional fashion forward reputation. You can now find a 4Bags “Arm Candy” collection at the following boutiques:
Fairhope, AL
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta, GA
In September of 2003 Leslie and 3 friends decided it was time to take action. The decision was to start slow and small. Conduct boutique and in-home Trunk Shows and if the idea took off we would eventually look for the right location to open a Boutique in Atlanta. The next step was to come up with just the right name. Actually it did not take very long. It was simple..... 4 Female Friends + Designer Handbags = 4Bags. The girls said that was cool as long as they were not called 4 Old Bags. Next, what is 4Bags? There is no way 4Bags would be successful selling average run of the mill handbags nor would we succeed selling the usual designer bags found in small boutiques and department stores. Once it was determined what type of designers we wanted to represent it became very apparent what our mission would have to be. 4Bags must offer “Unique Designer Handbags and Accessories with Purse-onality”.
The 4Bags Story
4Bags Designer Handbags with Purse-Onality Can Be Found At The Following Locations
LUXE - Atlanta * 1*FIVE*0 - Atlanta * 4Bags Boutique - Fairhope
AND THE STORY CONTINUES....
