The Rusty Crickett closes downtown boutique. Reopening planned for July in new spot
The Rusty Crickett, a gift shop and boutique in downtown Bradenton since 2007, closed its doors Monday with plans to reopen in July in southern Manatee, using a new business model, emphasizing the private shopping experience.
When The Rusty Crickett reopens at 2300 Whitfield Park Drive it will have more space for storage and a storefront location for customers by appointment, said Jim Clapper, who owns the business with his wife Colleen Clapper, and his mother-in-law, Pam Doherty.
The owners are making the move out of concern for safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the well being of customers and staff. With their new operation, they will be able to offer customers a private shopping experience.
Although the boutique, known for its selection of artwork, clothing, jewelry, handbags, and more, is in flux with the move, customers can continue to shop online during the interim for the unique items sourced from local businesses and artists, said Colleen Clapper.
“We took a step back and looked at what our customers looked like and decided to do something proactively before we were forced to do it,” Jim Clapper said of the move. “We hope to come back downtown when the cornavirus is over.”
At the new location, the owners anticipate being able to offer personalized service to customers in an art deco setting, serve them a beverage, and bring them the merchandise they expressed interest in online.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order closing all retail stores in Florida for more than a month. A subsequent order allowed retail businesses to begin reopening May 4. The Rusty Crickett reopened May 23, and closed again on June 8.
“The nature of business has changed – work-from-home positions and staggered schedules are here to stay – decreasing the amount of people who work downtown and in turn reducing foot traffic to local small businesses,” Colleen Clapper said on the company website, rustycrickett.com.
“The concept of a traditional brick-and-mortar store needs to evolve – high touch areas like the cash register and cash wrap have become precarious, while casual browsing and picking up items without the ability to sanitize between customers presents a considerable risk,” she said. “We have taken this time to redefine what The Rusty Crickett is and would like to share with you our new vision.
“The Rusty Crickett will be a hybrid between an online shop and a brick and mortar boutique. There will be a number of new and different ways you can continue to interact and shop with us. Beginning in July, the customer journey will be simplified and more personalized – starting online instead of in-shop – you will be able to browse our expanded product offering,” she said.
The business was founded in 2007 by Terri Liss, Jan Carpenter and Joyce Illing.
In 2017, Jessica Adair, bought the business, then known as Rusty Crickett’s Coastal City Cottage, located in a two-story 1920s Victorian house at 615 15th St. W.
The Clappers and Doherty purchased the business in August 2018 and moved it across the street to the former Madeline’s Boutique space at 1304 Sixth Ave. W. It is that location, in the same block with Jess Jewelers and just north of SUNZ Insurance, that is being vacated.
