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ELON — Mary and John McKissack realized they needed to make a change to pay college tuition for their 16-year-old daughter in a few years.

The family of six has relied on John’s income because Mary McKissack home-schools their children.
So, Mary McKissack decided to launch a business.

As for the specific type of business, the idea came to her after a prom-dress dilemma with one of her daughters last spring.

“She wanted a nice $300 prom dress, and I just couldn’t afford that,” she said. They looked at thrift stores, but “they just don’t have the styles a teen would wear.”

On Oct. 26 the family opened Mad Stylz, which features only name-brand clothing, usually marked at a quarter of the retail price.

To keep the racks full, Mary McKissack pays cash for used clothing, shoes and accessories that are in excellent condition and would appeal to young shoppers. “I am really picky,” she said. “They have to look new.”

She said she thinks the store will benefit the community by providing parents a place to buy inexpensive clothing for their label-conscious teens and a place to get cash for clothes that people have outgrown or just never wore.
“I think there’s a need for it,” she said.

The McKissack children, ages 13 to 28, helped the family launch the shop. It was the family’s first foray into the retail world, so they had to teach themselves a lot.

“This is Business 101 for them,” she said.

“They have helped pick out every piece of clothing in here,” Mary McKissack said. The whole family helps to run the store, including Mary McKissack’s mother.

Jumping into the retail world during this economic recession was “really, really scary,” but the McKissacks relied on their faith to point them in the right direction, they said.

“We had to pray for guidance the entire time,” Mary McKissack said.
 

Some people have been skeptical of their business model, but the couple is already seeing signs that their business could prosper. In the first week, the store sold about 500 items.
 

“I’ve had a lot of teens come in here who are really pleased,” Mary McKissack said.

Would you like to recommend a business to spotlight? Request a spotlight questionnaire from Jamie Kennedy Jones at jamie.kennedy@news-record.com.