New and upscale, the Prissy Peacock Consignment store is already taking the town by storm!

Most any peacock is an attention getter, but a prissy one is traffic stopping!

So it is at the newly established Prissy Peacock Consignment store opened in mid February at 5374 Stewart Street in Milton. Its sassy name is outdone only by the upscale consignment specials which consist mainly of women's clothing and wearing apparel accessories.

The product of an imaginative collaboration by Marsha Beach and her husband David, Prissy Peacock Consignment has caught the fancy of more and more people as the store becomes better known, mainly by word of mouth through satisfied customers who have shopped there and told their friends about their experience.

Both David and Marsha are continuing in established careers of their own, he as a VP at Mooneyham Heating and Air Conditioning, and she as a Realtor/Associate with the Keller Williams agency. But the somewhat currently depressed real estate market gave her more free time that she wished to spend wisely.

That, with what Marsha refers to as an "empty nest" at home now that all their children have moved out of the house, she and David had more time to experiment with ideas of something to do that was innovative and worthwhile.

And today, they both agree they couldn't have decided on a more challenging and fun way of investing their free time in an activity they both consider interesting and exciting, almost recreational!

Marsha says she started the business dealing in all kinds of men's, women's, and children's apparel, but after keenly observing the market trends, decided to zero in only on women's clothing. Women, she decided, had the greatest "flair" for fashion, and "something new and different" was always motivational.

And this trend, she says, leads many women to use the consignment process as a way of reasonably and logically disposing of some clothing and at the same time getting the opportunity of acquiring something different.

"The quality of clothing that I have in the store is substantially high-end merchandise," Marsha said. "The store's standards are my own. I would never take something on consignment to offer to the public that I wouldn't use myself."

And the variety and styles are almost endless. Dresses, blouses, slacks, jeans, and other items of women's clothing are complemented by shoes, purses, belts, and various other accessories that most any woman would be proud to own and wear. There are also a lot of prom dresses reasonably priced that would make any young lady stand out in a crowd. And it's safe to say that women will be able to find items from young to plus sizes, Marsha says.

"Prom season is rapidly approaching, and with the economy in a somewhat unsteady condition, it may be reasonable for some parents to consider purchasing their daughter one of the beautiful and elegant evening gowns we have in the store," Marsha said. And while it's true that many moms are reluctant to spend a great deal of money on an item that might never be worn again, the idea that it might be offered on consignment for another of equal value, quality, and appearance makes the purchase more appealing.

"Consignment, you see, is really a prudent and reasonable method of exchange," Marsha explains. "Basically, consignment involves selling something for someone to someone else. You act as a broker, of sorts, but it's a process that's a lot more fun! (Than real estate.)"

She went on to explain. "We sell them (the consigned articles of clothing or accessories) for as much as we can get for them, with fifty percent of the sales price being made available to the owner (consignor.)" The owner can either collect the cash or use it to purchase other merchandise in the store. Accelerated activity of this kind could very easily get consignors to feel that they are getting new things for free, she said.

According to the owners, all you have to do is shop around at some of the other "boutiques" and compare the styles, quality, and prices and see for yourself that it's not necessary to spend a ton of money to keep up with the trendy set. The Prissy Peacock Consignment store is bridging the gap. "While it's no 'thrift shop,' we do pride ourselves on what we offer for the price," Marsha said.

Marsha and her sister-in-law Sharon Beach are the people you will most ordinarily see in the store during the week, but on Saturdays, it's a different story...

"David is the Saturday peacock," Marsha says. "He opens the store for us in the morning and gets a kick out of taking his turn enjoying the chain of events." And David himself who has an industrial related background in administration says he is never bored. "Women shopping are in a world of their own, and it's really entertaining to listen to them talk among themselves and compare notes on merchandise (and probably other things as well!)" he said.

The Prissy Peacock got its name from Marsha's daughter, Misti, who lives with her family in Maryland. The trendy name adds to the interest which the store is getting from the public, too.

"We're one block north of What-A-Burger on (the east side) of Stewart Street, and we would be happy to meet and get to know new customers, both those who are interested in recycling their clothing and merchandise apparel as well as those who are interested in purchasing quality items at a reasonable price," Marsha said.

The store is adequate to accommodate shoppers, too. With 900 square feet of space, it's comfortable to navigate, it's well lit and attractively decorated, and you'll never be hassled by clerks who realize that you're happier when you have the freedom to browse and examine merchandise for yourself. But when you're ready to make a purchase you will be promptly treated with the dignity and respect you deserve.

Store hours are also customer friendly. The Prissy Peacock Consignment store opens at 10 a.m. each day and remains open until 7 p.m. "...or until the last customer leaves," which makes it convenient for those who only have time to shop in the evening. But for those who only have Saturdays to use, it gets even better. David opens the store at 8 a.m. and it remains open all day until 6 p.m.

You can't beat those hours, and according to Marsha and David, you won't beat the deals you will discover at the Prissy Peacock Consignment store, either. You'll just have to visit to understand what your neighbors are all talking about, and the "traffic stopping" excitement that the Prissy Peacock is creating!