By Annette McGuire
For The Tribune
Irondale — When first stepping into De’ja Ray Consignment Boutique, you feel you have entered into an exclusive boutique. The thoughtful details are found throughout the elegant boutique from the rose gold velvet hangers to chandeliers elegantly hanging above the dressing area.
De’ja Ray Consignment Boutique, located at 5415 Beacon Drive in Irondale, is a consignment boutique offering one-of-a-kind clothing. It offers consigners a 50/50 split with no appointments necessary when bringing in items for consignment.
The boutique’s customers will discover stylish clothing from zero to plus sizes for women, beginning with teens, and offers a vast inventory in shoes, sunglasses, vintage purses, jewelry, formals, dresses, jeans and much more.
“It is exciting to assist clients with their shopping and I look forward to assisting them from our inventory,” says Trussville resident and owner Nikki Huntley.
Huntley is opening her first boutique this Sunday, which stems from many years of dreaming, researching and interviewing several business owners.
When Huntley was unexpectedly laid-off from AT&T, she realized she had gained twenty years of valuable business experience in customer service and support. Because she always sensed a little nudge to open her own business she felt God ultimately worked things out for her good.
“The layoff in my life provided an opportunity to follow my dreams,” says Huntley.
Equipped with a passion for fashion and twenty years of experience in customer service it would seem Huntley had all she needed for the challenges ahead, but there’s more. She is part of a family legacy. Huntley is the granddaughter of Ray Nivens, a successful North Carolina clothing tailor. Now she shares the opportunity to pay tribute to her beloved grandfather, Ray and her daughter, De’ja.
Huntley says, “My grandfather is very important to me and left behind his passion for clothing, style and fashion that has become such a big part of me,” said Huntley. “I feel I am paying homage to him in this way.”
She is hoping to teach her daughter the business to continue leaving a legacy of her family.
The grand opening for De’ja Ray Consignment Boutique is slated for Sunday, August 19 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Customers will be served appetizers and beverages while shopping and celebrating the boutique’s grand opening.
For more information, please visit De’ja Ray’s Facebook page at Deja Ray Boutique.