Helen’s Collective
After almost six years as the owner of SHOOZE Contemporary Boutique, we have decided to make our biggest change yet….You have watched and supported us as I took over in 2019 from Joanne Emanksi, one of the original founders of SHOOZE. You supported us as we were forced to put the entire store online as our doors were closed due to COVID, you asked for and welcomed our men’s department, and most recently you have watched us transform and reimagine the store to welcome a home department as Jane Alperin, of Jane Leslie & Co., asked us to take on her lines as she navigated retirement.
After a lot of soul searching, this business isn’t really SHOOZE any longer and the name has continued to cause confusion for the customers we are trying to cultivate. We are so much more than a shoe store. After conversations with Joanne and Jane we all agreed it was time for a change. Please join us in celebrating the unveiling of our new identity!!
311 Market St.
Helen’s Collective is an amalgamation of strong women’s visions and achievements, and ultimately has become the keeper of their legacies. My name is Tara Mugford Wilson and Helen Walowiak Mugford was my paternal grandmother.
Born in Wilkes-Barre May 20,1908 in a generation when most women stayed home, my grandmother, Helen, worked as a dressmaker and hand finisher at Leslie Fay for more than 30 years. It was how she was able to afford to send my father to Wilkes University and then on to Penn State to receive his degree in Mechanical Engineering, making him the first in his family to attend college.
Store Expansion
Legacy
I had great admiration for my grandmother as well as Joanne and Jane and I am honored they have entrusted me to be the keeper of their creations. I could think of no better way to honor my grandmother than to name the store that has been entrusted to me to carry legacies forward in the community we all love after her.
Helen along with my Nana, Mary, and my mother, Cathy (Mary Catherine) set outstanding examples for me and my sisters of kindness, compassion, work ethic, love, and the importance of family. My mother, Cathy, was the retailer in our family as co-owner of Country Traditions in Dallas. I have fond memories of working the register during the holidays and going to market with her, memories that are serving me well as I navigate this new dimension of our store. My mom was even kind enough to come out of retirement to help us set up the home department once the renovation was complete…Thank you mom!
I am beyond excited to start this new chapter and I hope you will continue to support us in this new venture with our new name. We look forward to welcoming you to Helen’s Collective and giving you the same personalized service you have come to expect from our team.
All the best,
Tara
