November 2022 by channing meadows
Though it be little, its fierce! I've shopped this location since its opening & ever after. We've shopped St.Armands which is 5x size but 1/4 personality. My mama is an islander local on SK, she shops weekly. We've seen a lot come & go over time. Prints & styles, people too. Watched employees who're there to dip toes in retail b4 they know what they'll want to do, b4 they sink or swim, all the way to the ones who're doing what they love for a company/culture that's engrained in them. Out of all the "seasons" I've never been so impressed & truly enamored by a Lilly employee. This store has a gem, she be little herself, but full in heart & mind with her knowledge & passion for this iconic brand. Her name is Madeline. She is a glowing, kind & genuine soul, smiling, walking rolodex of all seasons Lilly. All styles Lilly. Past & present. The lady knows all regular & repeat customers favorites, tastes, knows every single piece name, even for helping just the walk in first timer, future Lilly lover, shopper. She is knowledgeable for not just ladies, but men & littles too, which means so much bc I'm a mama & a wife, so I need help with them all. I'll call the store from states away & give her a pathetic description, within seconds she rattles off what i'm looking for, whether they have it, & if not sources the item for me! She's a walking billboard for Lilly's brand. She lives and represents the brand. Brains and beauty. Inside and out. Very professional! She could run the store blind folded, front end & back. Down to styling the mannequins to give customers inspiration for putting together whole looks. I honestly never thought someone was more meant for a career in this business. I've seen her walk circles around what her managers have tried helping me with. I've literally drop jawed @ watching her upper management asking her advice on basic Lilly info to assist me when they've approached me to ask if i need help. Makes me smile & hits home, because she's so young. it reminds me of where I started in my career, I worked in vet pharmaceuticals & ag. I was a female & youngest & nobody took a girl in my line of work seriously, but little did they know I grew up with fire & passion for the culture, people, & industry I was in. So I was more invested & more an asset because I was living out my passion! I feel a kindred soul with Madeline. I hope she is never taken for granted because of her age, size, or sex, because she is the secret ingredient to that location! So there's my two cents on the MVP of the siesta key store. But I won't leave out that Batman always has a Robin & Lilly Pulitzer herself, always had Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Well, if Madeline is Lilly, then Michelle is her Jackie O.! That lady is the happiest most soak it all up (learning Lilly) walking sunshine I've seen! I visit with kids & all in tow. She's always smiling & chatting my babies up. She's a retired teacher of over 25 years. What I'd call a whistle while you work kind of employee. She can be steaming dresses, folding & placing new inventory, but never misses a chance to talk with my children and my family. She looks so excited seeing us try on items like she's opening a gift on Christmas every time we come out of the dressing room to show her & Madeline our newest finds. My kids are 7 & 8, their whole life I've taken them everywhere shopping. Lilly SK's always been a place I knew they'd not fuss at having to go. Mostly in part to the fact they offer a kid's coloring table and coloring wall. Our last visit in the store I was saddened to see the new manager had removed all coloring utensils. Michelle saw how sad they were & quickly rectified the situation & made the kids day as well as this mama & gathered some crayons and coloring for them. That same day I overheard the store manager tellin
