Maureen Elsie Court is celebrating 10 years in business this April 1. Her consignment shop Elsie’s (1530 Queen, 425-2559) has become a trend-definer, her sharp eye and creative spirit helping to make Halifax look hotter, shinier and better. She can identify your style with a single look, and keeps certain lines in mind for certain people. “She practically will give things away to people,” says one of her staffers, who declined to be identified for this article, but wanted to be sure that we knew the story of Court’s success over a decade. “She’s one of the most creative, unique people you’ll ever meet.” The Two Dollar Bin is a big hit in the store, which caters to the student crowd. “She doesn’t have to, because we have some high-end clientele and we have some high-end clothes. But she really seems to migrate towards the younger people. She wants people to be happy and when you’re in clothes that you like, you feel good.” The store has changed over the years, expanding to a second floor and bringing in a broader variety of stock, from local designers to international labels, and now with a burgeoning section of menswear. “She’d make a great costume dresser,” says the staffer. “She wants people to be fearless dressers.”
This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2010.