Ground Floor: Online Fairfax retailer expands from basement to warehouse

FAIRFAX - Betsy Boo's Boutique has come a long way from its humble beginnings.

'I always say I started in my basement, but my son likes to remind me that I really started in the front hall closet,” said Betsy Harrison, owner of the online women's clothing store. 'That's where I hung my inventory.”

In December, Harrison moved the business to a warehouse space in Fairfax, where she and four employees ship orders all over North America.

Harrison marvels at how rapidly her business has grown.

'It's so surreal,” she said. 'I never envisioned it as anything more that a hobby.”

Harrison started out working in the apparel industry before moving on to a career in real estate more than a decade ago. But she always had retail and clothing in her blood.

About three years ago, she began to notice small clothing boutiques popping up on Facebook.

'I thought ‘Why can't I do this?'” she said.

Harrison launched Betsy Boo's Boutique on Facebook in 2012 using a simple business model. She posted pictures of various clothing options on her Facebook page and, the next day, offered for sale those that got the most 'likes.”

At that time, her customers were mostly local, and Harrison delivered their purchases.

She eventually moved the business to its own e-commerce site and, in January 2014, to a small office near her home. At that point, she decided to give up her real estate career to focus full time on Betsy Boo's.

By October, Harrison had outgrown the office space and made arrangements to move to her current warehouse location.

Harrison said her new, larger digs will allow her to expand Betsy Boo's offerings of boots, shoes and denim - things she did not have enough room for previously. She also plans to use the space for photo shoots and for girls'-night-out shopping parties.

Harrison said she has no plans to open a physical store.

'I've done retail,” she said. 'I loved it, but I didn't care for the hours or the holidays.”

Although Betsy Boo's Boutique has evolved from its Facebook-only roots, Harrison still maintains a strong social media presence. Earlier this month, Betsy Boo's Facebook page surpassed 100,000 followers.

l Know a company or manager who has been in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor”? Contact George Ford at george.ford@thegazette.com.