Corrine Campbell opened Corrine’s Closet in downtown Springfield in October 2018 and is now hoping to reach a new audience with a second location at White Oaks Mall.
“The downtown crowd says they don’t go to the mall, and people on the west side have preconceived notions that there’s no parking or nothing going on downtown,” Campbell said. “I’m trying to figure out a way to bridge that gap.” She noted that she also hopes to educate people who live on the west side about what downtown has to offer, even outside of special events such as the holiday walks or St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Campbell worked at Bergner’s for 10 years, and after the store closed, she decided to open her own retail shop. Corrine’s Closet, 223 S. Sixth St., offers new and gently used clothes for men, women and teens, including plus sizes.
While her store was closed during last spring’s stay-at-home order, she said one benefit of the pandemic has been people becoming more intentional about supporting small and locally owned businesses. Campbell also said that having family members to help out has allowed her to expand.
“With my family and kids helping me out, we are able to put everything back into the business,” she said. “Eventually, I think I will have to hire more staff, but for now, I have family to help.”
