2024-01-11 17:08:47
Although the situation of her business is precarious, Isabelle Beauchamp still welcomed Le Courrier du Sud with good humor on January 10, visibly proud of what she has accomplished for more than eight years. However, time is running out for the owner of Mam’zelle Taille Plus. Without help from the community, she might soon close shop.
Isabelle Beauchamp doesn’t like to say that her business is unique, but following reflection, she doesn’t see any equivalent on the South Shore or in Montérégie. Both a boutique and a thrift store, it offers large size clothing at low prices for women. Its clientele extends from Gaspésie to Ontario.
“The demand is really there for plus size women. Especially at low prices, there is not much choice,” she emphasizes.
The latter, however, has fallen behind on its rent in recent years and launched a Gofundme page to raise $15,000, the equivalent of unpaid rent.
“Usually, we don’t do Gofundme for late rent. But it was either that or we went bankrupt. I know it’s a very nice community here. As I am very well surrounded by customers, I said to myself: this is the only solution. And the answer is sick!” she says, referring to the $4,000 already accumulated.
Pandemic and health problem
The merchant does not want to blame everything on the pandemic, but this period has hurt the business. Both the mandatory closure and the times that followed.
“After that, the customers did not come, for fear of catching the virus. We continued online sales, but it was not as strong as with open commerce,” she says.
Then there are also his health problems. Isabelle Beauchamp suffers from Gorlin syndrome, a rare genetic disease. She must undergo lifelong chemotherapy treatment.
“It can develop in several ways, but in my case, it caused recurring skin cancers. I have had several operations. It led to many, many meetings. This meant that I had to convalesce for 4 or 6 weeks. My husband, my daughters and my mother helped me, but by reducing my hours to more than half, I was no longer as active,” she maintains.
For some time now, health has been improving, notably thanks to “a good medication, with not too many side effects”. The shop’s business as well. “Today everything is going well financially, we are paying our operating costs. It’s really regarding making up for the harm that has been done in recent years,” she says.
A rack at the foot of the bed
It was precisely following an episode of repeated treatments, 11 or 12 years ago, that Isabelle Beauchamp was inspired by Mam’zelle Taille Plus. At that time, Longueuilloise was considered disabled by the Régie des rentes du Québec.
“My health started to get better. I said: ok, I haven’t done anything for years, I have to do something with my life. It started with: I need new clothes,” she says.
She started selling clothes that no longer fit her on the Internet to buy more. They quickly found a buyer. Then she sold others, with similar success.
The experience inspired him to create a group: “following a month, there were 500 people in the group. I said to myself: I’m not the only one who needs plus size clothing and has difficulty obtaining it.
This is followed by a first clothes rack at the foot of the bed. Then, elsewhere in the accommodation. Then, in larger accommodation, until she discovered the premises on boul. Curé-Poirier where she is today.
Used clothing and new clothing are sold there, always with a view to affordability. “All women from all classes of society come here, but the profits we can make are with the quantity of clothes sold and not with each item of clothing,” informs the shopkeeper.
She further maintains that the owner of the building, a man she has known since childhood, has been very understanding and understands the steps taken to settle her debts.
If she did not yet have a deadline for paying the amount during our visit, she estimates that the deadline will be within three weeks or a month.
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