Before opening the doors to her revamped Urban Snob showroom, Dimitra Diggs believed the shop was going to close.
“This was my hardest year,” she said. “I was struggling personally, financially, and was frustrated with Urban Snob’s current business model.”
Tired and weary of where her store was going, Diggs planned to close her shop the same day it was scheduled to reopen. However, she kept getting signs that told her otherwise.
She was honored at a minority business conference hosted by a state legislator for her shop and for creating a space for other black-owned businesses.
The following day, another business owner came into her shop and spent $400.
“She texted me the next day, and she’s like, ‘I want you to know there is a demographic here for you,’” Diggs said. “She didn’t even know where I was at mentally. I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing, but I felt like those were the signs that God told me to just stay open.”
And that’s what she did.
Diggs and her team transformed the 3rd Street boutique into a showroom where guests can book an appointment and have a personalized shopping experience. She also renovated the space to match the new business model.
“I really wanted to change the business dynamic which started with changing the space,” Diggs said. “After seven years, I was tired of looking at that hot pink wall. I wanted something a little more sophisticated just to match where I was at personally.”
The upgrades include outdoor seating with pink and black benches, new lighting topped with a Chanel-inspired chandelier, blush pink walls, hardwood floors and more.
According to Diggs, the new Urban Snob showroom allows customers to get more exclusivity when they are shopping and a celebrity-like experience. As her friend MaDonna Awotwi, owner of Sankofa Concepts would say: “You may not be Beyoncé, but you can shut down the store like you’re her.”
Guests can book their showroom free of charge through Facebook, Instagram or their website. All you have to do is pick a time you are available, put in your personal information and any additional notes the staff should know, such as the event type. Diggs then makes sure her shop is staffed appropriately and provides snacks, water and, of course, wine.
Urban Snob also creates profiles of the customers to store their shopping preferences.
“It allows me to know how to shop better for our customers. There’s a lot of women who just don’t like to shop,” Diggs said. “So, we can pick out curated pieces for you and relieve that burden and anxiety off of trying to find something to wear.”
Diggs started renovations in May and finished in late June. They had a soft opening, until their “kickback” in July.
Diggs and her team are currently working on expanding Urban Snob’s online presence to become a national brand.
“Between MaDonna and Dimitra, this baby is amazing,” said Johnathan Branch, an Urban Snob employee since 2014. “Anyone that shops here will always tell you that the experience is something that’s different. I can’t wait to see what we do in another five to 10 years.”
Urban Snob is located at 1006 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. To book your appointment visit www.theurbansnob.com.