Charlotte Observer Article - National Retail Federation Retail Advocates Summit 2014

Owner of Style Gather goes to DC to lobby for small businesses and retail. 

Local clothier, quilters, hot dog chain stay busy

By Celeste Smith
cesmith@charlotteobserver.com

More Pictures....

• 
  - COURTESY OF CARLY GARDNER

  Carly Gardner, owner of Leap of Faith Clothing, heads to Washington D.C. at the end of the month to participate in the Retail Advocates Summit, sponsored by the National Retail Federation. At the summit, being held July 29-30 and involving more than 150 small-business owners, merchants can network and talk with lawmakers about industry priorities.

  
  

We catch up with some Charlotte-area small-business owners making news recently:

Carly Gardner, owner of Leap of Faith Clothing, heads to Washington, D.C., at the end of the month to participate in the Retail Advocates Summit, sponsored by the National Retail Federation.

At the summit, being held July 29-30 and involving more than 150 small-business owners, merchants can network and talk with lawmakers about industry priorities. Gardner is one of three North Carolina participants, and the only one from Charlotte, according to the retail federation.

In addition to Leap of Faith Clothing, a children’s line that features Cape T-Shirts, Gardner has two other lines. She says her women’s clothing line, Style Gather, is now part of a promotion involving the online shopping platform OpenSky and Sears. She also has a “functional fashion” line called Jleer Brand.

***
It is also in print in today's paper!

Carly says...Please send positive thoughts that I will intelligently and positively represent Charlotte, North Carolina, Leap of Faith Clothing, Style Gather, Jleer Brand, and all small businesses.