Urbana store giving women a hand
URBANA – Monique Phagan knows firsthand about homelessness and domestic violence.
She fled an abusive relationship years ago and lived at A Woman’s Place in Urbana. Later, she worked at the Center for Women in Transition, which helps homeless women get back on their feet.
Now she’s running a new resale store at Lincoln Square, called “Transitions,” which will hire residents from the Center for Women in Transition and train them for retail sales jobs. The store will open Oct. 1 in the former Callaway Boutique space.
“I just love helping women,” Phagan said last week, surrounded by piles of clothes.
The store will sell gently used adult and childrenﾴs clothes and accessories. Two residents at a time will go through a 10-week training program to learn how to be retail sales associates.
One of the first trainees is Alex Frazer, 19, of Champaign, who has lived at the center since June with her son, Antwon, almost 2. She said she fled an abusive situation and “had nowhere to stay.”
Alex Frazer, left, and Saumya Gumidyala sort and stock clothing at Transitions at Lincoln Square Village in Urbana last week. The resale shop is scheduled to open Oct. 1 and is operated by the Center for Women in Transition to raise money for the shelter and teach job skills. Frazer is a resident at the shelter, and Gumidyala is a volunteer. By John Dixon/The News-Gazette
Sorting clothes Thursday, Frazer said she was happy to be chosen for the training position.
“I haven’t had a job before, and I need experience,” she said.
Coordinating the store’s setup is volunteer Saumya Gumidyala, a former University of Illinois student who called the shelter a few weeks ago to offer her services and wound up being Phagan’s unofficial assistant.
“I think this is a great program in terms of training,” said Gumidyala, 24. “One of the reasons I picked the shelter is that helps women. It doesn’t just give them a place to stay or money. It gives them a hand up, not a hand out.”
The store will also be an art gallery, featuring paintings, hand-made clothing and other work by local artists and women at the center. Two residents are talented watercolor artists, Phagan said. Other featured artists include Elka Kazmierczak, director of the project “Art for Survival: Women, Healing and the Arts.”
The collaboration makes sense, said Carie Bires-Cook, who is coordinating the art program.
“Urbana as a community seems to embrace the arts. And I personally believe in the power of art to empower underprivileged people, especially women,” said Bires-Cook, who was children’s program coordinator at the center for two years.
The store will feature a play area, where children can go while their moms (or dads) shop. It’s modeled after a toddler’s bedroom, with a comfy sofa, bed and reading area.
A bulletin board will allow women to post photos of strollers or other baby items they would like to sell or swap. Phagan hopes a generous donor will provide a television so kids can watch videos.
Many of the clothing racks were donated by Phagan and her husband, Atwoni Phagan, who have another business and run Stop the Violence 217, which fosters cooperation among police and local neighborhoods. Display cases and mannequins came from the former Callaway Boutique and nearby Caleco’s Jewelers. Wall displays were funded by the store’s grant from the Lumpkin Foundation.
But Phagan still needs more racks, hangers, bags and storage bins, and clothing for juniors and young women, from middle school on up. Those who want to donate can call the store at 384-2158.
The store’s logo, designed by a UI student, features a purple butterfly that Phagan believes captures the store’s spirit.
“It’s friendly and beautiful,” she said. “I want it to be encouraging. It’s about building the self-esteem of women, giving them the tools to get back into the community.”