Online and in person | Lucky Buckle expands in Franklinton

Published 8:50 am Sunday, July 29, 2012

Expanding from her previously online-only presence, owner Halley Honaker has opened in Franklinton a physical location of the clothing and accessories store Lucky Buckle.

Honaker established luckybuckle.com in September and then decided in late May to branch out from the website.

“I started the website and then everybody kept asking for a store, so I just decided to do a small store,” she said.

Customers have reported that they like the store’s merchandise and that there is a new option for buying clothes in Franklinton, Honaker said.

“Everybody loves it,” she said. “Everybody’s been excited about it.”

Lucky Buckle shares its location at 46105 Louisiana Hwy. 10 with The Center’s Kids Day Care. That arrangement came about after Honaker’s son began attending the daycare and she became friends with the owner. Internet-access troubles at her house led her to rent a small space at the daycare where she could set up a desk, her computer, a filing cabinet and a clothing rack so she could run her website.

“I did my shipments out of here every day, and then we talked about it and I started renting this room,” she said.

The bigger space she now occupies in front of the daycare location allows Honaker to display the merchandise so customers can get a look at it up close. She also did a little redecorating and accented her space with the help of some bright green paint.

As Honaker is now building up her stock, the website has a greater selection of items than what is currently available at the store, she said.

Customers can also shop online and then pick their items up at the store, Honaker said. They can either call to let her know that would be their preference, or when placing their order online they can write in the notes that they want in-store pickup and she will refund their shipping, she said.

Lucky Buckle sells a variety of women’s apparel, including Katydid brand shirts and premium denim brands like Vault and Grace in L.A. Volatile and Yellow Box items are also sold, with Miss Me expected to arrive this fall, Honaker said. Shoes, rhinestone flip-flops, handmade jewelry, boutique-style dresses and various fleur de lis items are available at the store too, she said.

Sports-themed jewelry and clothing, such as LSU burnout shirts, are among the most popular merchandise at the store, Honaker said. She will be getting more LSU and Saints items as football season draws near, she said.

The men’s merchandise available is currently limited to shirts, but Honaker said she hopes to add more items.

A Slidell native, Honaker has lived in Franklinton since 2002 and is a graduate of Pine High School.

Staffed by Honaker and two employees — Summer Ballard and Laken Lassley — Lucky Buckle’s summer hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

For more information, visit the website or the Lucky Buckle Facebook page or call 335-4700.