At nine years old, I remember wanting a tiara, go-go boots, and a Velvet doll.  I thought every girl wanted the very same things. It’s apparent now; these were early warning signs of a terminal princess!

As a teenager, I visited my sister in her new, cool apartment.  I remembered shopping with her on the weekend and happening upon a flea market.  She bought several sweet rhinestone pins to add to the few she had recently begun collecting. Following my older sisters lead, I scoured the market for sparkly baubles of my own. This marked the beginning of my love affair with all the glitters.

In my early twenties, I was working in retail when I reluctantly began a career in the computer industry (never thinking I’d last).  I was unexpectedly caught in a tidal wave of growth and was rapidly promoted. 

My passion for fabulous vintage remained, I continued to treasure hunt wherever I traveled on business.  I would occasionally pick up pins for myself as well as for my sister. I also hunted with my sister-in-law who collected antique purses. I loved all the romantic pieces from the past. I often thought of the women who wore these stunning pieces. Who were they? How did they happen upon their treasure?

In 1984, I moved from Dallas to Austin to work for a computer distributor. In 1985, Michael Dell hired me. Six explosive years later, I was married with a child and we had plans for another.  I decided to resign and vest in peace with my new family.  My husband Clint was also a Dell employee, so, we were truly twice blessed!

Realizing how fortunate we were, we began exploring ways to ‘give back’ to the community. Writing a check never really did it for us; it seemed too easy.  I joined The Assistance League of Austin, and quickly became passionate about the projects they supported:  victimized women, children and senior citizens.

I often thought it would be great to start a business that could support similar projects; perhaps a store where all net profits benefited charity. However, it would have to be something the Austin market could support. The few “charity” or non-profit stores I was exposed to were run by organizations, not individuals. Most of these stores had a gift-shop theme.  How many gift shops could survive in Austin?  My store would have to offer something different. 

The idea stayed on the back burner until I could put together a plan that I was convinced would work.  A year passed while I pondered what type of store to open. Throughout this time, I continued my avid quest for sparkling treasures.  After years of accumulating, my vintage collection had grown enormously. There was no longer a place sacred in our home that had not been taken over with my vintage obsession.

The past several years have been an exciting journey.  I’ve survived several holiday seasons, shopped all over the world, and lived through fiscal inventory!  I’m proud to say that in just six years Cupidz Clozet, with the support of family, volunteers, and a loyal customer base, has donated well over four hundred fifty thousand dollars to the Austin community!