Local business owner Krista Manson said she stands out by treating her non-traditional customers as human beings, instead of potential shoplifters.
Her store, Fetish Falls, opened in March when her Internet business selling costumes and accessories had grown too big to continue to manage from home, according to the Fetish Falls Web site.
“It went from her and I in her house that was overflowing in items to now we’ve got five employees, in under a year,” said Lisa Potter, who handles the store’s marketing and management.
After the explosion of her Internet business, Manson decided to open her store at the southeast corner of University and McClintock drives because of its centralized location and its proximity to young people, Manson said.
Manson and Potter credit part of the business’s success to having a good grasp on their target demographic through research and feedback from their customers.
“The pieces that we have are unique, so you’re not going to be wearing that item and see 10 other people at the same event wearing the same outfit. Our customer base tells us they don’t want that,” Potter said. “So we carry smaller vendors … [and] consignment items that are from unique perspectives.”
Victoria Rivera, a Fetish Falls customer, said she likes the wide selection of the store.
“I like the fact that she not only has gothic and punk items but cosplay as well,” Rivera said in an e-mail interview.
Cosplay, short for costume play, is dressing up in costumes to resemble characters in anime and other forms of Japanese media — more detailed than simple Halloween costumes.
Fetish Falls also carries their products in a variety of sizes, including plus sizes.
“We encompass and encourage all body types to shop here,” Potter said.
Manson and Potter both agreed that customer service played an important role in the growth of Fetish Falls. The store places special orders for customers and does not charge for shipping, Potter said. They also allow customers to put half down when they make the order and pay the remainder of it when the order arrives, Potter said.
“Every time someone walks in the store, it’s a gift to us and we have to treat them like gold, and a lot of retailers have forgotten what that’s about,” Potter said.
With the start of the fall semester, the store has begun to see some more college students, Manson said.
“Unfortunately our name is a little bit deceiving to people,” Manson said.
The business is still in the process of educating their neighborhood on what their shop is all about, Manson said. Part of that process was a visit to ASU’s Tempe campus just over a week ago.
In addition to selling Cyberlox, a ribbon hair accessory Manson makes, Fetish Falls has also begun carrying a variety of other items made in-house like facemasks and leg warmers, Manson said.
They are also toying with the idea of starting a clothing line, Manson said.
“The long term plan is nationwide domination,” Manson said with a chuckle.
Reach the reporter at deborah.bevers@asu.edu.