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Business & Tech

Downtown Boutique Is Changing Hands

Margot's Closet in Downtown Woodstock is for sale.

Big changes are soon to come for a beloved landmark. , the dancewear shop known by locals for its colorful tutu displays and twinkling porch lights, is officially for sale after five successful years in Woodstock.

"It's just me here, now," said Donna Culpepper, owner and manager. "I can't do near the things I want to do."

An unavoidable change in Culpepper's family life has made the stress of managing a store too great. She elected over the summer to put not only the building on the market, but the business itself.

"I'm going through a really difficult divorce, to put it mildly, and it's put me into a situation where I have to sell," Culpepper said, pointing out that she'd never planned to leave her cozy, cottage-style location.

Culpepper's husband was the primary bookkeeper of the two, and without the extra help, time management has been a struggle.

However, even with prospective buyers already in the picture, a deal hasn't yet been signed, and there are no plans for closure.

"There is definitely some interest. We've priced it well below market value to initiate a quick sale. But, frankly, I think the new owner would be crazy not to keep it what it is," Culpepper said.

She also explained Margot's Closet has always been a moneymaker. She described inventory as flying off the shelves and profit being consistently high, even when other businesses on Main Street were watching their numbers decline. That reputation may influence a faster sale.

"There are only three stores like this in Atlanta, and we're the boutique of the business. We sell higher quality dancewear, so there's a huge market," Culpepper said. "We're selling based on the inventory; we're selling with what's already in the store."

So, although decision-making about the store's future will ultimately rest with the buyer, Culpepper advises her loyal customers not to fret about where to turn for fashionable leotards or costume jewelry.

For many, the impending sale of Margot's Closet will mean a new business owner joining the community. For Culpepper, who opened the store in 2005 when she noticed a lack of local costume options for her daughter, it will be the unexpected end of an era.

"I really do love this place; this is my place," Culpepper said. "I've brought my sick kid in to work with me, my little girls that come in here [to shop]. I've seen them grow up in these five years. I love being here."

The transition certainly won't be easy for Culpepper, but family awaits her return to Colorado, where she plans to give retail management another shot one day.

"I'll probably be living with my sister for a long, long time. But we have ideas, so we'll see how that goes."

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