.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
Victoria Jorgenson’s second week in business also was her second month in business, following a retail plan that focuses on the idea that less is more.

Jorgenson opened a Bella Boutique franchise for five days last month at West Glen Town Center in West Des Moines. She was open again last week for five days – Wednesday through Sunday.

This isn’t a test-the-waters approach to the Greater Des Moines market for Bella Boutique’s wares – designer-inspired handbags, clothes, jewelry and accessories at prices far below the originals.

Bella Boutique is set up for the occasional shopper with an eye for high fashion and a pocketbook, or handbag, bulging with Main Street frugality.

For Jorgenson, the one-week-a-month business plan is a perfect fit. Her husband, David, has commuted to Greater Des Moines for the last two years after becoming director of new business at Baker Group.

That means a drive from Sioux Falls, S.D., where the couple is trying to sell their home before making a formal move to Greater Des Moines.

The tough economy doesn’t appear to be driving customers away from her West Glen door.

Within an hour of opening at 10 a.m. Oct. 7, the boutique was a bustle of activity. One woman dropped $300 in less than 20 minutes, all the while shepherding her young son among displays of ornate handbags and other low-cost imitations of high-dollar handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, hats, boots and clothes.

A Marc Jacobs quilted stam bag was selling for $1,350 last week on Bloomingdale’s Web site. At Bella Boutique, the imitation was priced at $47.

Bella Boutique was launched in 2006 and presently has a total of eight locations, including two in Jorgenson’s home state of South Dakota, where she first learned of the brand.

Bella Boutique hosts private parties in which the hostess receives 10 percent of total sales as a credit toward purchasing merchandise in the store. It also teams with nonprofit organizations for fund-raising events. It has a promotion called “handbag therapy” in which shoppers can save toward $30 off the price of a handbag.

This month, Bella Boutique turned over 100 percent of proceeds from the sales of breast cancer awareness bracelets to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.