“If you want to start your own business, then don’t hesitate.”
On Jan. 22, Flickinger opened an affordable clothing store. Her vision for BumbleBee Boutique became a reality about four months after her 44-year-old husband died from complications with COVID-19. She used the life insurance funds she received to start the business with the encouragement and support of her daughters: McKenna, 14, MaCee, 13, and Madilyne 10.
Flickinger said BumbleBee Boutique joined the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce with the hope that word will spread and customers are slowly discovering her store, located on Highway 89 next to Bob’s Car Repair.
At BumbleBee, clothing is marked at less than half the regular retail price. A cashmere sweater that ordinarily would sell for $199 is going for $25. A dress shirt that might cost $130 is being sold for $10. Wedding dresses are priced at $100 or less. Clothing for children also is competitively priced. Her size range goes from petite to plus for women and she has a section for men, too.
To keep prices low, Flickinger buys liquidation pallets, which contain mostly new items from JC Penney, Kmart, Walmart, Gap and other retailers. She decided to get into the small clothing business after finding 19 boxes of clothing for sale online for $900.
Before her husband died, Flickinger found it challenging to be able to address her children’s needs during a work day. By owning her own business, her work life offers more flexibility. “I felt the need to be in charge of myself and my own schedule.”
Her advice to other single moms who are considering going into business is that life is too short. “If you want to start your own business, then don’t hesitate.”
Flickinger decided to open a physical store, rather than an online store, because she considers it to be more personable. “Customers should be able to come in, touch and try on something before they buy it. It’s a headache to take something back,” she said.
In addition to helping stretch other families’ budgets, BumbleBee Boutique is helping Flickinger cope with her husband’s death. “It gives me a reason to get up in the morning and keep going,” she said. “It’s nice meeting new people and people have been positive.”
Her daughters, she says, have been a huge help, pitching in to paint, organize the store and hang clothes. “The 10-year-old took out the trash,” she said. “I could not have continued without them.”
BumbleBee Boutique is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.
For more information, call 928-227-1843 or email flickingercd@gmail.com. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Leave a Reply