The husband-and-wife duo, Patrick and Kiki, have always been on the lookout for the newest fashion trends to keep Jane Chalfant updated.
Photo: Shop Small WC
From “Family Owned & Operated.”
This iconic upscale women’s clothing shop has been a West Chester fixture since 1933, and Patrick Comerford’s family has owned it since 1955. Although he has a freelance career as a cameraman, Patrick joined his parents after college in running the boutique, and he and his wife Kiki started running it themselves once his parents stepped back from the business.
Together, the duo has worked to keep the storied establishment on trend, with an emphasis on personalized service. Kiki gave up teaching to work with the sales team on the shop floor and she joins Patrick on his buying trips. She told us, “Once we get there, we kind of separate while he goes looking for new things, and I am pounding the pavement.”
Patrick’s responsibilities also including bookkeeping and advertising for the store. When we asked Kiki what the secret is to successfully working with one’s spouse, she said, “I think, with us, it’s because we’re both fairly easygoing, and we are respectful of each other’s time.” And just because they work in the same place doesn’t mean they’re walking up each other’s heels. “When we’re at work, I’m in the shop and he’s upstairs in the office. It works.”
