Charmed

Last June, Jennifer Thompson and her family left their home in Tucson, Arizona and settled in Portland. By July, Thompson started her search for a retail space. In August, she found it, and by October 1st, she opened the doors to what is now Charmed, where shoppers can find an assortment of handbags, activewear, hosiery and affordable, fashionable jewelry. To be fair, Thompson says, she put her plan in place two years ago when the former bartender decided that she and her family would save up the funds to move northwest and open the shop. So far, she says, the reaction has been good. And with an unapologetic pink sign marking that space that reads in part, "a girly store," she says Charmed has been getting a lot of attention and neighborhood support. Chad Walsh, 1/1/11