Contemporary, classic, stylish, and vibrant. That’s exactly how today’s woman wants to present herself – and what Dot’s, a women’s specialty clothing and accessories boutique, delivers.

Located at 2105 Catawba Valley Boulevard in Hickory, Dot’s offers quality women’s clothing and accessories to meet a variety of needs and shapes. Featuring unique specialty lines, everyday wear and separates, Dot’s carries clothing from extra-small to extra-large and sizes 2 to 14.

Selections include designer labels, such as Nanette Lepore and French Connection; several different lines of denim, including Denim of Virtue and David Kahn jeans; handbags by Hobo International; and artisanal jewelry. The inventory is not only current, but also age-appropriate.

But don’t think that “age appropriate” has to mean conservative or boring. “Dot’s isn’t really about age,” says owner Susan Little. “It’s about an attitude of youth, fun and energy that’s all about keeping life in your wardrobe. There’s a fine line between being age-appropriate and dressing like your daughter or granddaughter. Dot’s encourages women to express their vitality through contemporary clothing that suits them, no matter their shape or age.”

You might not think “contemporary” when you learn that Dot’s was actually founded in 1964 by Little’s mother, Dot Lineberger. Then located in Maiden, Dot’s carried misses-style clothing for nearly 40 years. “I grew up in the business and worked there all my life,” Little recalls. “I started buying with my mom, and I eventually transitioned into it full time. After about forty years, my mom retired and I decided to move the business to Hickory.”

With the move, Susan changed the inventory to reflect a more modern, contemporary feel for women of all ages. But what didn’t change is Dot’s commitment to customer service, which has helped build a strong, loyal following over the years.

“We pride ourselves in offering great quality and giving the best customer service possible,” says Little. “When a customer comes to Dot’s, they’re often on a mission for an event, a special meeting, a vacation, or another occasion. We can size up their body type and know immediately what works for them, and we love to make suggestions and pull items we know will work. We like to take the stress off the customer and help her find, to the best of our ability, the exact outfit she’s looking for.

“We also pride ourselves in knowing how to take time with our customers to help fit them properly,” Little continues. “For example, we love to fit people in a great pair of jeans. We feel like we can take ten years or ten pounds off every customer with the right pair of jeans and the right outfit.

“It excites us to be able to share that transformation with a woman who comes in and says, ‘I need help,’” Little adds. “We get them in the dressing room, we hand them things and we keep trying. We love to help women look sophisticated and vibrant, with fashion-forward trends that look like updated classics.”

In addition to assisting with clothing selection, Dot’s has an expert seamstress who can make alterations and adjustments for the perfect fit. “When you buy something, you want to make sure it fits properly,” Little says. “If we see that something isn’t fitting right, we grab the pins and start working on it. A little tuck here or a little darting there can make it look perfect. We’ll then send it out to our seamstress for a minimal charge, and it’s returned to the shop when it’s ready to be picked up. We try our best to have the alterations made and returned quickly so our customers can be happy and on their way.”

Little acknowledges that a big part of customer service is being honest with customers – even if the staff’s recommendations aren’t hitting the mark. “If something doesn’t look right, we’ll be honest,” Little adds. “We’ll give them the thumbs down and encourage them to try again. That’s the reason we’re still here after 46 years, because we are very honest with our customers. We don’t just try to make the sale; that’s not what it’s all about. We love people. We want to make them happy, help them look great, and give them a very pleasant shopping experience.”

Making a woman look her best is a Dot’s mantra that extends beyond fit into the realm of accessories. Dot’s carries scarves, purses, wallets and essential things for the woman’s body, such as Spanx. The store also showcases a variety of highly unique jewelry from local artists. “When you buy a piece of jewelry here, you are going to make a statement wearing it,” Little says. “You’ll also get your money’s worth out of the jewelry, because they’re very wearable pieces.”

Getting your money’s worth is even more important in today’s economy, and Dot’s makes every effort to offer different price points. “Over the past several years, we have adjusted to the economy’s needs,” Little says. “We have researched and found lines that are not so pricey, but still offer great quality. And we always offer a sale rack.
“New inventory arrives weekly, so we are always adding to our sale rack to keep things fresh,” Little adds. “We also love special occasions, like Mother’s Day, and we offer up special sales for those events or at different times of the season. Every now and then we host in-store events, like trunk shows for our jewelry designers, where we provide special invitations and refreshments to our customers. And we regularly send coupons to our mailing list to encourage our customers to pop in often.”

While the transition to a new store and new inventory have been a success for Dot’s, the future looks even brighter – thanks to Little’s daughter, LeeAnn Little. “My daughter, LeeAnn, worked with me just as I worked with my mom when I was younger,” Little says. “She, too, decided to go into this business and studied fashion merchandising in college. One afternoon, she asked me to meet her in downtown Mooresville – and within four weeks, we had rented a building and were doing an upfit for a second location there.”

LeeAnn’s store, originally called Dot’s but recently renamed L Squared, is a sister store to Dot’s and carries similar goods. It also caters to the same clientele – women of all ages looking for an updated, fashionable wardrobe. She and her mother shop together at the fashion markets in Atlanta and elsewhere to find the perfect selection of quality and price for their inventories.

“It makes me very proud to watch LeeAnn take the family business and grow it,” says Little. “She has the same strong values and energy that my mom had, and she has big ideas for the future.” Those big ideas would not be possible without the legacy created by Susan Little and her mother, Dot – a legacy that continues to thrive in Hickory. Visit Dot’s Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Dot’s staff also works by appointment by calling 828-324-6490.