When Mike Pagnutti and his fiancé Stephanie Sindori took over local store R Little Secret Fashions from owners Mindie Mullen and Tony Hacquard, they were already fans of the local business.
“That’s why we wanted to keep it as unchanged from how Mindie and Tony had it. We wanted to take their legacy and build upon that,” says Mike.
The clothing store opened about 11 years ago, and Mike and Stephanie took over ownership in 2023. Mindie is still involved with the business, doing all the buying of merchandise. Her experience and knowledge of the brands and history of the store is an important piece of growing the business.
The shop is known for its unique clothing items, which are generally only ordered in one of each size and not re-ordered. This keeps things fresh— plus, you won’t run into people wearing the same shirt as you.
While customers pay a slightly higher price tag than they would at a chain store, the quality will pay off in the long run. R Little Secret Fashions carries quality men’s and women’s fashions from clothing brands throughout the world, including Italy, Denmark, Spain, and of course Canada.
“Our unique, fun and trendy items are boutique pieces— and our secret is our pricing,” says Mike.
This variety of brands could make for an overwhelming shopping experience, but that is not the case at R Little Secret Fashions. Their team of sales associates are prepared to help customers with everything from navigating new trends to finding capsule wardrobe pieces. The staff’s level of customer service is something that the business is regularly complimented on.
R Little Secret Fashions is carrying the same clothing lines that regular customers have come to know and love, but plans on expanding them. Mike has a couple personal favourites of their clothing lines, such as Montreal-based menswear brands Au Noir and HEDGE Clothing, as well as the Denmark line, Casual Friday. The store’s menswear selection stands out in Sudbury, so Mike and Stephanie have plans to grow that side of the business.
The store also carries casual wardrobe staples, but higher-quality than customers might find at large retailers. In addition to the range of clothing options, the store carries handcrafted jewelry lines, poured soy candles and vegan handbags. A question that Mike has received is whether their clothing lines are carried elsewhere locally. The answer is a definite no. Before Mike and Stephanie approach new vendors, their first question is whether the vendor supplies to anywhere else in the Sudbury area. They want to keep their store unique, and their customers have taken notice.
On a recent Sunday when Mike was working inside, a customer tried the door. Despite not technically being open, Mike let her in anyway. “She was raving that there were so many unique pieces and so much to look at. She loved our pricing, especially for the quality and the hand-feel of the products.”
Mike and Stephanie were both born and raised in Sudbury, and say they love the culture of the city and the way that local business owners support each other. They have future plans for fundraisers and community events, in an effort to give back to their neighbours. Mike is getting to know the business’ existing customers, and comes out to say hi when he hears their familiar voices on the sales floor.
“They’re the ones who have gotten the store to this point.”
For more information, visit the website.