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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Ashland's Iron Mike statue has its gun stolen Metro Medford brings art downtown Motorcycle crash southwest of Grants Pass kills one Ecologist leads free hike to see salmon Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra performs in Medford Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Ashland's Iron Mike statue has its gun stolen Motorcycle crash southwest of Grants Pass kills one Emergency services Talent man and Texas fugitive arrested on drug charges in Lane County Officials warn of frauds touting fake Ebola cures Politics and Elections RVTD says its future is riding on the election Stricker steps down from Talent council Commissioner's race: Talbert wants to diversify economy Commissioner's race: Roberts seeks accountability in government Ward 4 Q&A: George Schroeder Education SOU students protest university's free-speech zone Boys & Girls Clubs bursting at the seams Phoenix High School restores homecoming parade EP school district launches new app Striving to make the grade Environment Fear of orphaned cubs nixes new spring bear hunt Josephine County ballot measure would ban commercial and government pesticide use Low water exposes Emigrant Lake's past Wagner Creek work would restore streambank Deer-killing disease won't taint meat for hunters State news Nation - World Obituaries James Waldo Littlefield Francis Bagley Cecile (DeLozier) Death Notices Marc Lee Sprang Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories No. 20 Utah sinks Beavers in two OTs Challengers rally to claim Southern Cascade crown Senior Erin Riley has been key to South Medford's success Pirates tops in Skyline with win Ishikawa's homer sends Giants to World Series Varsity 541 College Sports No. 20 Utah sinks Beavers in two OTs Third-ranked Concordia fights off SOU, 3-1 Part II: This time, No. 4 SOU visits No. 3 Carroll Gutches invited to wrestle in All-Star Classic Young Ducks impress early Pro Sports Ishikawa's homer sends Giants to World Series Patriots survive scare from Jets, 27-25 In NBA, 3's are most definitely wild Cink, Laird share lead in Las Vegas Royals’ Guthrie apologizes for post-game T-shirt Community Sports LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL RESULTS Business Latest Stories Rogue Credit Union awaits southeast Medford opportunity Blog: Early Holiday Shopping Hundreds look for work at Harry & David hiring fair Frontier Airlines to end Eugene-Denver service Umpqua Holdings more than doubles net earnings Real Estate News Lithia buys Clovis dealership Rental vacancies increase Jackson County real estate sales, prices continue rebound Pallet Wine Co. expands in downtown Medford Medford's Pixel Productions moves to new quarters People In Business Transportation Frontier Airlines to end Eugene-Denver service Business Resource Fair has answers Erickson's Navy contract extended Lithia buys Clovis dealership Agriculture Hundreds look for work at Harry & David hiring fair Umpqua Holdings more than doubles net earnings Harry & David will hold hiring fair Thursday Ranchers offer livestock exchange 1-800-Flowers CEO: Labor shortage an issue for Harry & David Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Oct. 17 Our view: With respect, our support goes to Bates Isolation won't work for U.S. or the world Matthew T. 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Elk season starts damp but not snowy ... Free forage seed available ... Ashland's Iron Mike statue has its gun stolen ... Elk season starts damp but not snowy ... Free forage seed available ... RETAIL Urban Minx founder ready to pass baton Longtime assistant will take control of fashion boutique in January Urban Minx fashion boutique founder Melissa Fleet is selling her 10-year-old business and will move to Spain By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 14, 2014 @ 1:04 pm By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 14, 2014 @ 1:04 pm » Social News After a whirlwind decade of highs and lows, trend-setting and retrenchment, Urban Minx is very similar to the company Melissa Fleet launched in Ashland, catering to fashion-conscious clients who couldn't find anything else like it in the Rogue Valley. Urban Minx blossomed quickly to a chain of five boutiques and spiked on the Internet before the recession kicked brick-and-mortar shopkeepers in the solar plexus and mega players refashioned digital consumption. Now focusing on a single shop in the Rogue Valley Mall, 15 miles from the original location, Fleet has decided to move on, leaving Urban Minx in the hands of longtime lieutenant and store manager Ashleigh Baumann. "In this business you pretty much have to be a chameleon and adapt to your environment, changing with the ebb and flow of the economic climate," Fleet said. "When I first had the business in 2004, we were surrounded by an extremely healthy economic situation. Construction was at an all-time high, it was pretty easy back then to make money." Urban Minx's online sales fired on all cylinders and in short order a string of boutiques opened in Bend, Medford, Corvallis and Sun Valley, Idaho. Today, Urban Minx has left much of the online territory behind, preferring to reach clients via social-media channels Facebook and Instagram. "In 2004 and 2005, there wasn't the big-store competition from Amazon, the Gap Group, Nordstrom and even Macy's," Fleet said. "European and contemporary fashion just wasn't covered by the big players." The recession changed the cyber retailscape, she said. "Amazon came into its own and started gobbling up e-commerce space," Fleet said. "Boutique stores couldn't compete with free returns, free shipping and general discounting of merchandise. Our share started diminishing in 2010 and has been ebbing away ever since." The silver lining, she added, was the return of shoppers wanting one-on-one time with merchants. "There was a return to the boutique environment intimacy," Fleet said. "There was the return of people coming in looking for style, and I was the stylist. You can't have that personal experience shopping online where you never speak to a human being. That's one of the reasons Ashleigh stepped forward. She's worked alongside me for six years," Fleet said. "It's a natural next step for the business, it made sense." But not at first. "When I first approached her, she was unsure," Fleet said. "I put it on the market with the broker, but as time went by, she decided she was ready to step up and take the opportunity." Baumann, who has managed the store for five years and has been a buyer for four years, is at the Los Angeles Fashion Market this week, putting in orders for next spring. "It's been crazy, but I'm really excited," said Baumann. "There's still a lot to figure out, but everything has gone by quickly. Definitely the price was a little bit daunting when we were talking about both the Bend and Medford stores. When it came down to making a decision whether to close the stores, we figured out a deal we were both comfortable with." A "changing hands" sale is scheduled to begin Oct. 23 and will continue until Thanksgiving. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31, and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/Economic Edge.         By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 14, 2014 @ 1:04 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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