Video: Forevermore Boutique owner talks about success on TikTok
Kennedy Nine Sammons, owner of Forevermore Boutique, talks about the boutique and its success on the popular social media site TikTok.
- A women’s boutique in Martinez, Georgia turned heads with a Taylor Swift-themed party.
- Owner Kennedy Nine Summons used TikTok to promote the event, which attracted an unexpectedly large crowd.
- Sammons believes TikTok is a key tool for driving foot traffic and growing a boutique’s following.
When Kennedy Nine Summons opened its women’s boutique in Martinez, Ga., two years ago, it didn’t plan to become known for modeling it after music superstar Taylor Swift.
A Swift herself, she said she named her store Forevermore Boutique partly because she’s a fan of Swift’s hit song “Evermore,” but more because she liked the name. At the time, she had several Swift-inspired T-shirts and bracelets.
Shortly after the boutique opened, Swift’s Elas Tour movie was released, and Sammons decided to host a small Elas-themed party at the store, located in a small shopping center on Bellaire Road.
She posted the event on the social media platform TikTok, and to her surprise, about 100 people attended.
“Then everything exploded,” she said.
After the event, she added a few more Swift-related items, including notepads, gift items, and T-shirts. And she continued to post on TikTok.
It showed her the power of TikTok. By posting regularly, she increased her presence on the site and gained more followers. The store currently has over 11,300 followers.
“TikTok is a very powerful tool to promote your physical store,” she says. “It’s the number one way people find this store. If you’re not on TikTok, you should be.”
Six months later, her site has gone viral and has been viewed over 100,000 times. She teaches other small business owners how to use this platform to grow their businesses.
The number of customers at her store has increased. She also posts on Facebook and Instagram.
Forevermore is not focused on Swift items. Most of our inventory consists of comfortable and casual clothing.
Sammons, 31, describes her clothing style as relaxed, casual and wearable clothing that women are comfortable wearing, with bohemian touches and unique pieces. She carefully selects every item in the store. “If I don’t wear it, I won’t put it in the store.”
We carry timeless trendy items and accessories such as colorful bags and classic jewelry. Most items in the store cost around $40. There is a sale rack in the back with everything listed up to $25.
Because it’s located in a small shopping center, prices can be kept low.
Sammons attended nearby Evans High School and worked in retail while attending Augusta University. After graduating, I worked in the real estate industry and public service for non-profit organizations.
However, becoming an entrepreneur was her lifelong dream. “That was always the goal.”
“The time has come,” she said of establishing the boutique. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”
Jennifer Miller covers food and business for the Augusta Chronicle. She can be reached at jmiller@gannett.com.
