24 BUSINESS
SEND YOUR BUSINESS NEWS
TheMesaTribune.com | @EVTNow
Area woman’s business offers sweet dreams
BY CECILIA CHAN
Tribune Staff Writer
E
bony Simelton has taken a
cherished childhood pastime
of mixing pajamas and party to
a whole new level.
The Gilbert mom of three in No-
vember launched Slumber Happy,
where she designs and provides
everything needed for a “magical”
overnight sleepover – including the
party tents or teepees, mattresses,
sheets, pendant lights, faux fur rugs
and personalized name plates for
each guest.
“I love pajamas,” Simelton said.
“If I could wear pajamas every day I
would.”
Simelton said that she’s always had
the innate knack for creating and or-
ganizing one-of-a-kind festive par-
ties that are like artwork.
“It’s natural,” she said. “I say it’s in
the genes. It skipped my mom but
for my aunt and myself it naturally
East Valley store’s customers are its suppliers
BY JUDY KERNEN
Tribune Contributor
N
ot everyone looks at customers
as their best suppliers, but then
Plato’s Closet is not everyone’s
store.
With stores in Tempe, Scottsdale and
other parts of the Valley, Plato’s Closet
focuses on gently used clothing and ac-
cessories for children and teens.
And Plato’s Closet, owned by the Win-
mark Corp., is recognized as the nation’s
largest chain of teen and twenty-some-
thing resale stores, with over 480 stores
in North America.
The Tempe Plato’s Closet is run by
/EVTNow
Ebony Simelton of Gilbert started Slumber Happy in November with an eye toward giving chil-
dren a memorable sleepover.
owner Callie Bowman and her staff in a
manner that cultivates a welcoming en-
vironment as they continuously develop
relationships with their sellers and cus-
tomers in-store and online.
“Our most important supplier is our
customers and everyday people that
come in and sell to us,” Bowman said.
“Nothing would take privy over paying
them first.”
The staff creates social media content
on Instagram and TikTok to communi-
cate what items they are looking to buy,
as well as major store events.
“We introduce new employees on
Instagram, which is fun,” said Quinn
Wolfe, who holds the title of “keyholder
TO PMARYNIAK@TIMESLOCALMEDIA.COM
assistant manager. “It’s a different way
of highlighting the business versus just
showing the clothes.”
The employees also model the clothes
and accessories that are available in
store.
Wolfe said that social media algo-
rithms can be tricky, but they found suc-
cess in posting content related pop cul-
ture trends.
“The most successful things we have
done have been things that we know
would work well for our age demograph-
ic,” he explained. “One of our Instagram
posts that did really well was this Barbie
post where we posted different photos of
us going to the Barbie movie.
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 10, 2023
comes.”
Besides staging elaborate birth-
day parties for her own children, her
skills were called on by relatives.
“I always do events for family,” said
Simelton, who works in corporate.
“They are always nudging me and
told me, ‘you should be a party plan-
ner, event planner.’”
Initially she didn’t think it was
something she wanted to jump into.
But after she organized her own baby
shower with an elephant theme for
her now 6-month-old son and re-
ceived so many compliments, she re-
considered the suggestion.
“I said, ‘let me go ahead and see
what I can offer,’” she recalled. “I love
children and also love pajamas and
slumber parties would be a perfect fit
for me.”
Simelton doesn’t have a storefront
but people can book a luxury slum-
ber party package online. She can
see DREAMS page 26
Plato’s Closet Tempe expanded to Tik-
Tok to diversify their content.
“We’ve just kind of had to adapt to dif-
ferent ways that our age demographic is
marketed to,” Bowman said.
On TikTok, Keyholder Daryn Whipple,
creates videos with the staff to highlight
their engagement with customers.
“We do Instagram mostly for people
to see a post and want to buy stuff, and
then TikTok to get traffic to our Insta-
gram,” Whipple said.
Whipple analyzes the latest and rel-
evant trends on TikTok and applies them
to Plato’s Closet Tempe promotion.
see SUPPLIERS page 25
THE MESA TRIBUNE | DECEMBER 10, 2023
SUPPLIERS from page 24
“When I make a TikTok,” Whipple said,
I like to scroll on TikTok and try to find
something that a lot of people are raving
about.”
The learning doesn’t stop there.
The Plato’s Closet Tempe team en-
gages with their customers and sellers in
store by getting to know them and pro-
viding help if needed.
“I try to learn customers who come in
a lot because I always really like when I
walk into a store and they know who I
am,” Wolfe said
Added Bowman: “I think it just goes
back to humanizing people, and I think
we lost that three years ago.”
During the pandemic, Plato’s Closet
Tempe temporarily transitioned their
business model to an online storefront
and curbside pickup.
Bowman went into the store daily to
organize the store and prepare online
orders during the shutdown.
“It’s a challenge when you’ve got other
kind of things that are out of your control,
but you know that going in so you just do
your best to make it work,” she said.
In 2022, Plato’s Closet’s sales surged
overall and the franchise honored Bow-
Plato’s Closet Tempe is one of 480 stores in North America that specialize in selling gently used
clothing to teens and young adults. (Facebook)
BUSINESS 25
man’s Tempe location with a sales per-
formance award.
After selling her first Plato’s Closet in
South Dakota in 2018, Bowman opened Save for
What Matters.
her second at McClintock Drive and
Warner Road in Tempe in 2019.
She said that with her bachelor’s de-
WE’RE HERE TO HELP.
gree in tourism and hospitality manage-
ment and prior banking experience, “the
whole notion of starting a Plato’s Closet
for me back then and even now is that I
always enjoyed shopping there when I 7 or 12-month CD
5.25 %
was in college.”
“I just thought, you know, I love the
concept,” she continued. “I love the idea
of recycling, reusing, and I always found
great deals there.”
Plato’s Closet Tempe offers to buy APY*
popular clothing brands such as Brandy
Melville, Lululemon, Levi’s and more.
While practicing thrifting and recycling
clothes, Plato’s Closet Tempe also sells
clothes at an affordable price.
“The average price of something
480-807-7500 • westernbanks.com • 5901 E McKellips Rd, Suite 104 • Mesa
here is $10,” Bowman said. “I feel like
Southwest corner of McKellips Rd and Recker Rd
people aren’t going to be too over-
*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 5/24/23. Personal and business accounts only. No municipalities or institutional funds.
whelmed coming in here and, having Minimum $1,000 deposit required. Early withdrawal penalties may apply. Member FDIC.
to drop a lot of money to still have a
cool fashion.”
Information:platoscloset.com/loca-
tions/tempe-az ALL 1ST RESPONDERS/MILITARY
10% OFF ALL
ACCESSORIES
Welcome to
East Valley
Golf carts!
Every family has a story,
Welcome to ours!
LARGEST ICON DEALER IN THE EAST VALLEY
WITH OVER 100 ICON GOLF CARTS TO CHOOSE FROM!!
Family
Owned
2756 S. MARKET ST. 1155 S. POWER RD.
GILBERT STE 112-B MESA
480-761-CART (2278) 480-906-CART (2278)
WWW.EASTVALLEYGOLFCARTS.COM