Walk in Closet, Konbetsa Kafé sets grand opening on Friday

They say it’s every woman’s dream to have a walk-in closet. Now every woman on Saipan can have one, with the grand opening of Walk in Closet, the latest go-to place for the perfect casual women’s wear. Centrally located at the Ladera Center along Beach Road, it will open its doors this Friday to give the female shoppers on island fashionable yet reasonably priced apparel, accessories, and shoes.

Rounding up the celebration is another grand opening: the Konbetsa Kafé, located next to the Walk in Closet, which is ready to serve specially brewed coffee and popular local mirienda.

The creative mind behind the two new businesses is no less than sole proprietor Glenna SP Reyes of the Northern Marianas Business Process, LLC, who was reminded of her dream to become a businesswoman when she leafed through her high school yearbook not too long ago.

“I never strayed from that dream,” said Reyes. “That’s exactly what I had in mind when I finished my education and when I joined the private sector workforce at a young age. I did not limit my learning process solely on my primary job duties. I took advantage of every opportunity to learn new things in other areas of the business operation.”

With a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in management, Reyes touts her experience working for private companies as the “most important” work she has ever had.

“Having worked in the private sector for many years brought about my strong work ethic, which I carry with me wherever I go, even in the government. I learned the ropes of important business aspects through my education and employment experiences in a gas station, bank, hotels, airline, manufacturing plants, and retail stores,” she said.

Her desire to have her own clothing retail store didn’t come up until about three years ago when friends and acquaintances would remark on the lack of shopping choices for women on Saipan. “Majority of consumers have to go off-island so that’s when I started looking around and studying the market,” Reyes explained.

The opportunity came upon her with the dawning of Walk in Closet. Asked what made her choose the name, Reyes replied with a smile, “It is my belief that every woman’s dream is to have her own walk-in closet.”

That’s exactly what any customer will have upon entering the store. Shoppers will immediately see Walk in Closet’s eclectic selection of women’s apparel, handbags, shoes, undergarments, belts, fancy jewelry, and other accessories in various colors and styles.

Taking into account the conscientious mindset of women shoppers in a small community, Reyes noted that Walk in Closet does not make bulk purchases and limits its dress and top collections to just six pieces per style.

Reyes also assured that Walk in Closet follows the fashion trend. “Our offerings will reflect whatever is new and trendy in the fashion world,” she said. “Following our grand opening, we will be evaluating our market and responding to consumer demands by adding the items they like to our collection.”

Meanwhile, Konbetsa Kafé has an informal, laidback vibe, great for those long, lazy talk with friends and loved ones. The newest coffee shop in town got its name from the Chamorro word that means “dialogue.”

With the evolution of technology and the advancement of electronic communication, Reyes underscored the need to have constant and meaningful dialogue in person.

“At Konbetsa Kafé, we hope to offer a setting for that kind of dialogue where they can enjoy their hot cup of coffee while munching on their favorite local mirienda,” said Reyes.

“I want this to be a place for anyone to relax and unwind, where they can personally interact and share their ideas with other people. It could be a venue where business executives, retirees, and others can meet and interact,” she added.

Unlike other coffee shops, Konbetsa Kafé will be offering a rare and exotic coffee known for its strong and flavorful taste as well as overpowering aroma—a perfect partner for the store’s array of mirienda such as tamales, titiyas, buchibuchi, paradita, empanada, biskucho, pan mamis, manju, chalakilis, ilotis, and ahu.

Different flavors of smoothies like coconut milk, watermelon, mango delight, caramel, melon, and kona mocha as well as a variety of shake flavors such as cookies & cream, virgin piña colada, coconut milk, and chocolate will also be available.

Konbetsa Kafé will also be showcasing on a consignment basis various works of art of artists from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota as part of their efforts to support local art and bring about community involvement in this new and locally owned business.

“I’m very excited for Friday. It’s been a tedious and long process doing research and finding the right suppliers. The public can rest assured that I will be doing my best to make our products affordable to our people,” concluded Reyes.

Walk in Closet and Konbetsa Kafé are located at the Ladera Center along Beach Road in Chalan Laulau next to the Armed Forces Career Center. During the grand opening on Friday, March 23, from 8am to 8pm, customers will get 10-percent discount on all merchandise, food, and drinks. A minimum purchase of $25 at the Walk in Closet or $10 at Konbetsa Kafé entitles customers to a raffle for a brand new cellphone with $10 load.

Hours of operation for Walk in Closet are Monday to Thursday, 11am to 8pm, and Friday to Sunday, 9am to 8pm. For Konbetsa Kafé, they are open from Monday to Sunday, 6am to 8pm. For more information, call 234-2637.