Game Changer For 2 Beatz Boutique
By AMY GEISZLER-JONES | Photos by AARON PATTON
After tapping into a local retail incubator program, Phylicia Thompson was able to move her 2 Beatz Boutique from an online and mobile business to its first storefront in downtown Wichita this past spring.
Thompson and her size-inclusive women’s clothing boutique are part of The Garages, a customized mentorship and retail incubator program in which Fidelity Bank is a partner.
Five incubator spaces are located throughout the city; Thompson has set up her shop in the retail incubator space on the first floor of Fidelity Bank’s employee parking garage, called RISE Car Park, on Market between Waterman and English.
“They’re fantastic,” Thompson said of the program which she called “a game changer.”
“They paired me with mentors in the community who want to see my dream come to life in a space like this,” she said during an interview in her store with large windows that look onto Market Street.
“The goal is to grow the business. I’ve always wanted to do a brick-and-mortar store, and this helped me take the leap a little quicker.”
LAUNCHING A BUSINESS
Thompson started 2 Beatz as an online boutique in 2017, in her final year of college at Wichita State University, when she got tired of working in what she called “a dead-end job.”
“I knew there was more that I wanted to do and that I wanted to give to my community and the people around me,” she said.
A conversation with her dad, who had owned a thrift store, helped her hone the fashion retail concept.
“I love fashion. It creates community and conversation when you compliment someone on their outfit or accessories. It’s an easy opener to talk to strangers.”
Her love of fashion, she said, was inspired in large part by the reactions she witnessed when her mom, a seamstress, created prom and special occasion dresses for clients when her family lived in Chicago. They moved to Wichita when Thompson was in sixth grade.
“When they would put on that dress, it was like their attitudes before and after were completely different. They felt confident, they looked good. Having an impression on people like that was just really cool and beautiful to watch. I’m like, ‘yeah, I love that,’” Thompson said.
Coming up with a name for Thompson’s business was just as important as the career move she was making. In keeping with the family inspiration, the boutique’s name is an homage to her two children.
“In figuring out a name, I wanted it to be something meaningful to me. 2 Beatz is for two heartbeats, because of my kiddos.”
TRANSITIONING TO A STOREFRONT
After taking a brief hiatus from the online store, Thompson was ready to relaunch with a new concept in 2017: a mobile boutique that she could take to events and book for in-home fashion parties, which she did for several years. She purchased an old church van and converted it into her traveling fashion store.
“The mobile boutique gave me the opportunity to go out into the community and do different events and show customers the pieces in person. Like I said, fashion is a conversation piece and I wanted to be able to talk and meet people.”
It was a matter of good timing that when Thompson was looking into setting up a storefront she had a conversation with Michael Ramsey of Bokeh Development, a board member for The Garages retail incubator program.
He encouraged her to apply to be part of the program.Along with a customized mentor team, the program’s other benefits include business coaching, a $1,000 start-up investment, a $500 professional services allowance and tiered rent.
CURATING A SENSE OF POWER
While her boutique has goods that appeal to different generations, Thompson specializes in curating fashion pieces that create a sense of power for professional women, she said. She carries accessories, such as handbags, hats and jewelry, along with clothing ranging from petite to 3XL sizes. One can find items for office wear, denim and pieces for layering that are suitable for professional or social settings.
“I really try to focus on my girl — Who is she? What is she doing? Where is she going? — and I tailor the collections to that,” Thompson said.
As part of her dedication to provide a service to the community, Thompson displays artwork by artists represented by Mulberry Art Gallery, which has a strong focus on Black and other artists historically underrepresented. She sponsors a monthly pop-up shop for other creatives and retailers in her store. Through an effort she co-founded called Bringing it Black, she also helps plan events and pop-up opportunities in the community for Black-owned businesses.
“I definitely want to do more collaborations as a way of paying it forward and helping other businesses,” she said.
For Thompson, taking her business to the next level has been exciting.
“I meet so many amazing people in the store, and like that same feeling my mom gave people, I love watching people come out of the dressing room and they’re cheesing and they’re looking at themselves, and they feel confident about what they’re getting,” Thompson said. “I love that. To have a space now, yeah, it’s been a game changer.”
The Garages incubator initiative started in 2019 by The Workroom Owner Janelle King with support from the Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Foundation and Fidelity Bank. The program provides resources, mentorship and a low-risk space to help entrepreneurs jumpstart and grow their retail ventures.
