"Big Ass Sale" Going On As LUXE Atlanta Closes

LUXE Atlanta of West Midtown's Brickworks development, has announced they will be ceasing operations no later than October 31. Currently they have a "Big Ass Sale" in progress with 50% savings on everything in the store. (Assorted furniture, display units and a fax machine are also being sold during the sale.) Open since 2007, the store was the brainchild of Jenn Ripley and opened in partnership with Lanny West, Leslie Fram and Carole Davenport. At first, basically a permanent sample sale, a boutique T.J. Maxx of sorts, the store was one of the first to open in the development. With a solid clientele built up from its earlier incarnations, the store seemed destined for every Buckhead Betty's Saturday shopping list much like Loehmann's is for some.

Offering a boutique setting while still maintaining the highest possible quality and customer service, LUXE Atlanta partnered with numerous charitable organizations and hired interns from local colleges. Sadly though, as much as everyone wanted the store to succeed, the surrounding area never grew the way it was expected to. Rather than additional complementary retail in the area, specifically in the Brickworks, restaurants, galleries, offices, studios and a grocery were the only tenants to materialize. As good as the PR and the offerings were, LUXE Atlanta was unable to succeed with such limited additional offerings in one of the worst recessions in generations.

As for Jenn, she now runs a similar operation, once again a traveling business known as Archive Agency. Leslie is now co-host and Program Director of WRXP, New York's Rock Experience. Lanny will continue to assist in the operations of Studio 1*FIVE*O. Carole Davenport can most likely be found cheering on her grandchildrens' various sporting activities, watching UGA football or on rare occasions, shopping! Repeat Atlanta!