Monkee's Reopen After Flood Damage

Monkee’s has reopened in downtown Fredericksburg.

The women’s fashion store was closed for several weeks following an August storm.

“The building owner’s were having a new roof put on and the temporary roof was not installed correctly,” store owner Catherine Sullivan said. 

Sullivan has worked at Monkee’s of Fredericksburg for five years, and became owner in July.   “I’d worked for Linda Arnold as her manager and so I was pretty familiar with the business and the area,” Sullivan said.

“When Linda told me earlier this year she was going to sell the store, I knew I wanted to keep working here,” Sullivan said.  “I was able to buy the store in July, and a month later we had our roof leak,” she said. 

Monkee’s is a growing franchise, begun by Deirdre Shaw in Wilmington, Del.  Shaw’s mother called her and her sister "little monkey’s" and that’s where the store name came from, Sullivan said.

“Monkee’s to her meant good childhood memories; a lot of fun with her sister,” Sullivan said.  “She opened the store and had good girl friends working with her --  a bunch of girls monkeying around, having a good time,” Sullivan said.

“I think that has resonated with all the other store owners,” she said.  I know it resonates with me -- it’s having good people working with you and having a good time,” she said.

All 23 Monkee’s stores are linked, but Sullivan said each franchise owner is allowed to choose the designers, styles and size runs they want to carry.

“I like to carry things that are investment pieces that you can wear for years and years and years,” Sullivan said. 

“We have jewelry starting at $5 and dresses starting at $50, but the goal in my mind are those more expensive items which are investment pieces,” Sullivan said.

Among the primary designers she carries are Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Lilly Pulitzer, Karlie and Lila Pea.

“We have some core designers people will recognize and then we have some less well-known designers who provide amazing dresses for really good prices,” she said.

Sullivan said customer service is the focus of her shop. “I know the names and family story of many people who shop with us,” she said.  “I want this to be a place you want to come and browse and just hang out,” she said. 

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