Step into Ravishing Recalls in Rockland when owner Jonette Rockett is working and, on occasion, you may feel as though you’ve entered an old-fashioned salon – where people once gathered to discuss great literature and philosophy – located in the midst of a consignment shop for women. Yet both women and men engage in diverse discussions with Rockett, usually in a corner near the cash register, and topics du jour can range from politics, art and religion to child-rearing, marriage and lobstering.
One high-profile visitor, former Maine Gov. Angus King, popped in for a few minutes during his first gubernatorial race and stayed almost an hour.
“Some people come in each week,” explained Rockett, a native and part-time resident of Vinalhaven. “It’s a place where women can share their thoughts, talk about world events or their families and get a great bargain at the same time. And men who are shopping with their wives or girlfriends feel very comfortable here: they don’t get bored.”
While these serendipitous gatherings have emerged as enjoyable bycatch, they highlight the impact of Rockett’s unique personal touch with clients and visitors and, in turn, the shop’s success in Rockland. Indeed, as numerous business neighbors bellied up during the city’s slow, often-agonizing renaissance in the mid- to late-1990s, Ravishing Recalls not only thrived, but is now celebrating its 10th year on Main Street.
Like most consignment shop owners, Rockett is self-taught. Though she earned a GED and attended cosmetology school, where she learned some basics about color, she credits her travels throughout the U.S., the Caribbean and Europe as her greatest educator about fashion, color, style, and fabric. Much of her traveling, she explained, occurred during her 13-year relationship with Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bobby Weir.
Unlike retailers, which prosper on win-win scenarios between owner and customer, consignment shops must maintain a triple-win formula: a win for the consumer buying a $100 dress for $15, for example; one for the consignor who reaps money for fashions she no longer wears; and one for the house.
Proceeds from sold items are split 60/40 between the shop and consignor. Unsold clothing is returned to the owner or donated to charity, as Rockett explained in 1994 to Angus King.
“I thought he might have been a nut off the street when he said he was running for governor,” recalls Rockett, laughing. “I said, ‘Well, good for you!’ He said he wanted to learn how consignment shops worked, so I invited him to sit on the floor” where she was sorting inventory. “I was impressed by his mind. We talked about a lot of things and I wished him luck when he left.” Rockett learned later that King was a genuine candidate when she saw him on TV.
Whether explaining the business or helping consumers, Rockett’s desire to help people creates a lasting impression.
When Kirsty Alley visited and asked 8-year employee Gloria Dorr about the shop’s clothing rack source, Rockett made sure that her only catalogue made the ferry trip to Islesboro, where the actress maintained a home. Several months later, said Rockett, Alley returned “on one of the worst winter days when no one was on the street.” She and five Islesboro friends nearly filled up the cash register. Loaning Alley the brochure “was a little thing,” adds Rockett, “but she wanted me to know she appreciated it.”
“I’d rather lose a sale than have someone buy something that doesn’t look good on them,” insists Rockett. “There are loads of places where you can shop and either you can’t get anyone to help you or you’re lied to or you’re followed around and treated like crap. That doesn’t happen here.”
Though Rockett gave birth to her third child two years ago, she’s also added ownership of a lobster buying station on Vinalhaven, managed by husband Brian Rockett, to her list of commitments. She named the venture Redeemed, Inc., an acknowledgement of the preeminent role her religious faith played in her transformation from a troubled youth to a successful entrepreneur.
Of her winning business formula, she says, “I’ve simply created an atmosphere of fun where people feel welcome and appreciated. I’ve found that whether it’s just listening to someone or giving someone a hug when they’ve got the look of defeat on their face – a look I well-recognize – it makes everyone feel lighter.
“Small acts of kindness bring out the best in people,” she adds. “I get back ten-fold what I give.”