Shop owner transitions from nursing career to owning secondhand store 

TRYON – After an 11-year career working as a nurse in Spartanburg, LaToya Sutton recently opened Variety Boutique, a secondhand store in downtown Tryon.

The boutique is located at 98 N. Trade St. Sutton, a Gaffney, S.C. native, said she opened the store because she wanted “to be her own boss” like her husband who has his own landscaping business.

“I’ve always wanted to be my own boss and I’ve always worked for someone,” Sutton said. “The St. Luke’s store here was going out of business and me and my husband thought it would be a good idea if we opened another one because it seemed to do pretty good to me, St. Luke’s, and it always had customers. The Second Chance store in Columbus is also doing pretty good.”

Sutton said she has always liked clothes, shoes and accessories and added that her store also sells appliances, tools and home décor items.

“I’m a shopaholic myself, so I guess my husband thought if I owned my own store and started selling stuff, I wouldn’t do as much shopping,” Sutton said. “I thought it would be good for the Town of Tryon to come to get new and used items instead of having to go to the mall or Wal-Mart or something.”

The store is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Sutton said she could find items requested by people if she doesn’t have it at the store.

“I have everything you need here, but if I don’t, I can find it because I’m sure it’s close by,” Sutton explained. “I like helping people and making people happy.”

Call the store at 828-899-0145 for more information.