11/01/2021
Style Fashions Closes After 25 Years
In August of 1996, Joyce Neuner opened Style Consignment next to Lance's Jewelers in the old Walmart shopping center. Joyce and husband, Sam, were living in Alpharetta at the time. She was looking for the mythical “Mayberry” where where she could feel safe alone behind a cash register. Cu***ng fit the bill.
Soon after she opened the store, Joyce became pregnant with her only child, Perri. In May of 1997, just working in Cu***ng wasn't enough. Joyce and Sam decided to make Forsyth County their home. They found a house on a quiet lake in the northwestern part of the county and moved while Joyce was 8 months pregnant. A few months later, they moved the store to its second location on Dahlonega Highway in what is now Five Star Pawn.
Joyce's mom, Wilma, had arrived on the scene to help with the store and the new baby. Wilma also designed the interior of the final store location on Veterans Memorial. “Mom and I rented a truck and moved everything in on one very cold and icy night in the winter of 2000.”
Perri grew up working in the store, and even ran her own custom jewelry business there for a few years. She attended the STEM Academy at Forsyth Central High School and graduated from Georgia Tech in 2019. She now lives in Seattle and works in sales for an international lighting company.
Closing the store was a tough decision for Joyce. She was very attached to her clientele. High school girls who were past prom customers brought their daughters in years later. Older customers who had lost their husbands would come in to shop and chat. “It was like Cheers without the alcohol – a place where everyone knows your name! I will miss the store and my customers and consignors, some of whom were also great employees!”
On Sunday, October 24, an army of volunteers from the Dawson County Humane Society swooped in and removed all of the wall racks and a lot of the merchandise. “I have been donating to their store at 54 Lumpkin Campground Road, for years. I would take them a van load of clothes and then shop their beautiful home décor and furniture! Every penny spent there goes directly to the animals because the staff is 100% volunteer!”
Hightower Baptist Association Food and Clothing Bank was a huge help in hauling away all of the remaining merchandise and store fixtures. These items will be used in their facility on Wallace Tatum Road where they serve the needs of the community on the 2nd Saturday of every month.
Since Style Fashions is now closed, consignor checks cannot be picked up. They will be mailed instead during November and December. Joyce would like to thank all of her customers and consignors for a wonderful 25 years in business!
