|
A handbag made by Jane Wayne Gear. The line, which features T-shirts, bags and candles, |
By COLLEEN CREEGAN
Camouflage and pink seem an unlikely duo, but they're a popular pair among shoppers at the bookstore at Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Camouflage handbags with pink shoulder straps, camouflage diaper bags with lace and camouflage bags to carry hand-poured patriotic candles are in the mix.
The products are from the All Fired Up Candle Co. and Jane Wayne Gear lines. They were created by Roxanne Reed, a military wife from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The products make their way to bases across the nation with help from those such as Devony Fenn.
The 25-year-old Marine Corps wife promotes and helps sell the items at Quantico. Fenn, who lives on base with her husband and two young children, is press secretary of All Fired Up and Jane Wayne Gear.
Fenn met Reed, 32, while living in Camp Lejeune.
Reed gives other military wives like herself the opportunity to start their own businesses selling her products.
Because the products are sold nationwide, women know that wherever they move, they can have a job with All Fired Up.
Some of the women are responsible for creating the handmade bags and candles, while others run the stores selling All Fired Up merchandise, sometimes along with their own creations.
"I wanted to create a product that would show support for the military while being completely customized and affordable at the same time," Reed said.
She also wanted a product with a "girlie flair," hence the pink trim, black lace and tropical theme patterns that pair with the camouflage.
Nonmilitary women also have been picking up the bags and candles as a symbol of pride and support for American troops.
Reed attributes this to the average American woman having some military connections, either by spouse, parent, sibling or friend.
Jane Wayne Gear's handbags can be customized to each of the five branches of service and can be made using the camouflage of a loved one.
Each bag costs between $45 and $65 each, depending on which style is chosen.
Locally, they can be purchased on base in Quantico or through JaneWayneGear.com.
Reed and Fenn are both full-time working mothers, but they agree that their work brings them an overwhelming sense of pride, which keeps them motivated when things get stressful.
Fenn makes phone calls and writes e-mails, trying to make contacts and expand the business whenever she gets a free moment.
And Fenn coordinates with the Marine Corps Association bookstore on base, to check on inventory and keep communication open.
"Word of mouth is really the best form of advertising. I do this because I love it. It's really become addicting," she said.
All Fired Up grew from humble beginnings in Reed's on-base home in North Carolina, where she started making candles by trial and error.
"Literally, my daughter was sitting in a high-chair eating Chee-tos as I was pouring the candle wax. This was a completely grass-roots beginning," she said.
All Fired Up's success is largely due to its mentoring program, which provides women guidance from financial and marketing executives, most of whom have former ties to the military.
Reed said most of the money earned from sales are invested back into the mentoring program.
"We're all about loyalty and support, and everyone involved has become a family. We all just keep coming back together no matter where we've moved to," said Reed.
To reach COLLEEN CREEGAN:
