Learn to Love Charley: Old Town Manassas Welcomes New Boutique

By Bianca Bonilla, contributor 
Old Town Manassas is always sprouting businesses, and on Friday it welcomed one more. 
 
Crissy Bibb owner of Love, Charley, cut the ribbon and opened the doors during the store's grand opening which was attended by more than a dozen people, including Manassas Mayor Harry J Parrish, II and Manassas city manager Pat Pate.
 Bibb took some time out of the boutique's busy grand opening day to answer a few questions:

Tell us a little bit about Love, Charley. Is it a franchise or locally owned?
Bibb: Locally owned and the name comes from my daughter - her name is Charlotte, but we call her Charley. She is going to be 3 in January. She is my pride and joy!

Why did you open this boutique? Why now and why here in Old Town Manassas?
Bibb: Well, I'm from Manassas-born and raised. I always thought it would be fun to have my own boutique. So, with the help of my two best friends, Kim Nix and Heather Whitlock, we have just always loved refinishing furniture-so, it turned into this. We kept collecting more and more projects to do and couldn't keep them around the house, so we had to do something.

 So, you refinished all the furniture yourself?
 Bibb: Uh huh, me and my two friends …The three of us.

Tell me a little about your merchandise. What do you sell? What's the price point?

Bibb: It's all home decor. We do have a kids corner where we sell bows, headbands, jewelry. That's all made by my mother, actually ... And we use other venders such as: Two's Company, Nora Fleming, along with a lot of others that we are currently in the works with setting up accounts with. But we're looking for venders that are reasonably priced because we're bargain shoppers ourself. So, we are looking for items that actually are affordable.

Are you pleased with this grand opening?
Bibb: I am! Very pleased!

Have other business owners in Old Town made you feel welcome?
Bibb: They have, yes. Even them showing up this morning was great. Chris from the Whimsical Gallery is retiring and closing on Dec. 14, so it was nice for her to come and support and share her contacts with me.

 Were you excited to see the mayor?
 Bibb: I was! Yes, very cool. Very sweet and generous man.

Is there anything else you would like to say?
Bibb: I'm excited about my business being here in Old Town and I look forward to meeting local … locals and even out-of-town guests!

Love, Charley is located at 9015 Center St. in Old Town Manassas.