A Commitment to Style
by Julianna Bowen, photos by Molly Minter
Gayle Hines names her youthfully styled store after her young namesake granddaughter, Abby Gayle
From fitting in glass slippers to shattering glass ceilings, the dreams of women have evolved with the rise of each new generation. Today’s ladies may have traded in bridge clubs for blogs and Tupperware for take-out, but the long days of motherhood aren’t unique to millennial moms.
Generations before have tirelessly served their families and found joy in the small luxuries of life that rekindled the fire of fortitude. The mother of three, Gayle Hines remembers well the endless responsibilities of raising a family and supporting her own ambitions.
As a cosmetician at Glass Pharmacy, Gayle worked full-time while raising her children. Outnumbered at home by her husband and three sons, she enjoyed the feminine aspects of her career and interacting with other local women. When explaining her love for cosmetics, Gayle sympathized with the daily responsibilities women have and explained that helping them accentuate their natural beauty always boosted their spirits. Reminiscing about makeovers and purchasing products at market for her customers at the pharmacy made Gayle light up with nostalgic zeal. It was in that downtown makeup counter as a young mother that Gayle developed a passion for helping other women feel happy and confident.
Gayle’s occupational fervor and community relationships grew during her nearly three decades at Glass Pharmacy, but, over time, so did her desire to open a store of her own. In 1986, a friend, confident in Gayle’s aptitude and loyal customer base, offered to help her with the technicalities of venturing out. With her boys now grown, affording her more time to embark on a new journey, her entrepreneurial dream actualized, and the beloved Texarkana landmark, Gayle’s, was born.
Always focused on her love for helping other women, Gayle built a successful business from the ground up by designing it with her customers in mind. She wanted the community to have a place where they would feel comfortable coming in to shop. Beginning with friends Pam Elliott and Betty Patton, Gayle operated the store herself, and 31 years later, she is still involved in its daily operation.
Shopping at Gayle’s usually means seeing Gayle herself and getting the benefit of her expertise in fashion and beauty. With specialized training in color analysis and wardrobe planning, Gayle offers patrons a unique opportunity to find a personalized look that highlights their individual features.
Developing personal relationships keeps Gayle in tune with her shoppers’ preferences. Some of Gayle’s most popular product lines have been made available in Texarkana because of her customer’s suggestions. Former Liberty-Eylau Superintendent Don Rader first told Gayle about the designer jeans, 7 For All Mankind. After bringing home 12 pairs of the trendsetting “7” jeans from market, locals fell in love with the youthful style. With the success of the new line, Gayle’s offerings expanded to include more styles desired by a new group of younger clientele.
Long-time Gayle’s customers noticed the new merchandise and expressed concern that their favorite styles would be replaced. Always responsive to the preferences of her shoppers, Gayle creatively formed a plan that would best support her mission to help all women look and feel their best. Seeking style and beauty isn’t isolated to any one generation of women so Gayle opened a new store stocked with specialty items that appealed to a younger crowd of fashion-seekers.
Wanting to keep the new store associated with her flagship boutique, Gayle named her youthfully styled store after her young namesake granddaughter named Abby Gayle. With the blessing of Gayle’s three other granddaughters, who understood her reasoning, Abby Gayle’s opened in a nearby location in 2010.
Successfully managed by cherished friend Melinda Vammen, Abby Gayle’s extends Gayle’s passion for helping women find happiness and confidence through style to the generation of its namesake, Abby Hines. A lover of fashion and flair like her grandmother, Abby is a local high school student busy with school and sports. During breaks and holidays, Abby likes to work at the store with her grandmother, helping girls and women of all ages find items that make them look and feel their best.
When the space directly next to Gayle’s became available, the ideal setup for the sister boutiques was made possible. Today, shoppers can walk between the connected stores and select items from either side’s wide selections with the company of friends and family of any age. The currently popular Kendra Scott jewelry line was another product brought to Texarkana because of a customer’s encouragement. Seeing the widely-popular jewelry line while at The University of Texas, Shelby Demuth knew it would be the perfect addition to Gayle’s collections. As the only local Kendra Scott retailer in Texarkana, Gayle’s and Abby Gayle’s have both welcomed many new customers flocking in to find the latest trendy pieces.
As Gayle’s commitment to provide happiness through style continues, clientele both old and new regard her boutiques with the highest praise. With 58 years’ worth of relationships established through her retail experience, she is enjoying the multigenerational friendships with her customers’ children and grandchildren. The products and styles of Gayle’s boutiques have evolved over the years, just like the women who frequent through their doors. On any given day, inside you’ll find happy customers of all ages, taking a break from life’s responsibilities to enjoy a little luxury.
