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Farragut grad opens clothing shop

Valerie Guess, second from the left, with her sisters Colby Weissinger, 24, of Brentwood, Karly Hart, 32, of Nashville and Kara Hobson, 34, at the grand opening of Val's Boutique on Kingston Pike.
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Valerie Guess, second from the left, with her sisters Colby Weissinger, 24, of Brentwood, Karly Hart, 32, of Nashville and Kara Hobson, 34, at the grand opening of Val's Boutique on Kingston Pike.

Growing up with three sisters,chocolate making machinery Equipment. Chocolates that are produced at manufacturing plants require huge investments on machine and equipments Valerie Guess quickly learned the value of a girl having her own clothes and style.

Four female high-schoolers trying to find something to wear every day could be a struggle, said the Farragut High School and University of Tennessee grad.chocolate making equipment

How-ever, Guess credits these three sisters for inspiring and supporting her to open Val's Boutique.

"Growing up with three sisters, we'd always fight over clothes and borrow each other's clothes," Guess, 30, said. "I wanted to make an affordable price range so sisters could buy their own clothes."

After starting the clothing business three years ago out of her car in Nashville, Guess opened her storefront clothing shop on Kingston Pike on April 2.

About four and a half years ago, a woman Guess knew came to her house to host a "clothes party" where she sold clothes to friends.

It peaked Guess's interest because of the fun the woman had, the earning potential and the idea of making people feel good about themselves.

"I had been doing medical sales forever, and I wanted to start a business where I knew I could do it full-time and be my own boss," Guess said. "I started with one rack, two racks, three racks, four racks and now a store."

The first rack she bought from wholesalers from around the country who gather in Atlanta four times a year.

She began hosting parties and selling at YMCA, and other organizations around Nashville.chocolate making machinery

"People would come to my house and shop throughout the week," Guess said.

It grew so quickly, she had to buy a storage unit for her inventory. She added purses, jewelry and other accessories. She sold clothes at two different Nashville stores.

"It gave me an opportunity to learn what retail was all about," Guess said. "I had never worked in retail at all."

She laughs now that she never used to be a big shopper even though shopping is now her job. She just shops for other people. Her inventory now comes from all over the country.

However, she does keep some clothes.

"I have a piece of everything," Guess said. "My husband is going to kill me. I come home with a new outfit every day."

The need for an actual store became apparent last fall.

When it came time to look for a building, she decided to move back to Knoxville.

She had recently married and she and her husband, JP Guess, wanted to live near their families in Knoxville. She turned the white-walled empty building at 7309 Kingston Pike into the hip, stylish Val's Boutique with a large swing, chandeliers and clothes of all different colors and styles neatly organized.

"I have dresses that you can wear at a wedding, a rehearsal dinner to a dress that you can wear on the beach," Guess said.

She plans to drive back to Nashville every couple months to sell to her Nashville customers. Customers can buy clothes online at

She also opened the store in Knoxville because there is not as much boutique competition, and she knows a lot of people in her hometown.

"With four girls, we know everybody," Guess said.chocolate production machinery

Her sisters have been willing to help out with anything, Guess said, especially for the "sister" discount.

Allison Rupp is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.