At 8424 W. McNichols Road is a color lifetime Detroiter Angelica Bright closely identifies with her hopes for the business she owns.
The orange boutique, 2 Bright is a force of energy, inside and out, with clothing and accessories throughout the store’s small space.
Bright, 47, chose the color because of its vibrancy and because it resembles her last name.
“(Orange) just seems to be a color that pops,” says Bright. “You don’t see it unless it’s a construction-type thing. If there’s construction you know something’s going on there. I picked the color orange so people would know something’s going on in my neighborhood.”
2 Bright happily stands among Detroit’s newest business class who count on holiday season sales to make it through the leaner months of the year ahead.
Bright opened last December after holding a number of yard sales, making it her goal to sell quality boutique products at a reasonable fee. Since opening, she says her business is growing as word spreads about her prices and products. But another reason for bringing a store to her neighborhood was the future goal of helping former felons gain employment. She says she looks forward to helping others who need a chance.
“It’s always been a need in my community,” says Bright. “My thing was, if you don’t give them something to do, they’re going to continue to do the things they’ve done before.”
Inside 2 Bright are a number of items reflecting the types of clothing popular among African Americans. The shop offers t-shirts, various hats, jewelry, sun dresses and purses, some including images of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
Before 2 Bright, Bright worked in information technology for more than 25 years at different corporations, including Ford Motor Co. Aside from the different natures of each industry, she says the main difference between IT employment and running a boutique is the sense of freedom, even though she admits working more hours for herself than for the company that employed her.
Jean Jackson, a friend of Bright’s, says when she first heard about Bright opening the business the first thing she felt was excitement.
“It was well overdue,” says Jackson. “She had been talking about it for a long time and for her to step out and finally do it I was extremely happy because I knew it was a leap of faith.”
The first thing she noticed about the shop was the diversity of items in the store and how well it was organized, she says. Jackson describes Bright as meticulous about her work.
“She’s got so many different things, not only for people my age, but for younger people,” Jackson adds, “and it’s something that will attract the youth. She’s just an excellent person to do business with.”
Editor’s Note: Two Bright is located at 8424 West McNichols Road in Detroit, MI 48221. Call (313) 855-6097 or visit them on Facebook.
This Small Shops feature is sponsored by Bank of America.
To learn more about Bank of America’s many programs and resources for small business owners visit: https://www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/business-financing.go.
Orange is the new bright at west side boutique added by Debanina Seaton on
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