We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abby Austin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Abby, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Opening my store was no doubt the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. The opportunity came out of nowhere — the business consultant from the retail store that was previously in my space called me one day in March of 2022 and told me I had about two weeks to decide if I wanted to take the leap. There wasn’t much time to be nervous or weigh every option; I was just excited and thought, “If not now, then when?”

I received the keys that May and immediately knew I wanted to transform the space into something totally different. A new space, a new name (complete with new branding), and new inventory is no small feat. I set a grand opening date for August 21, 2022 — which didn’t leave much time. I brought in contractors, removed old fixtures, added new ones, repainted, redid the floors, even replaced the toilet — all while traveling to buy inventory and hiring a brand-new team of employees. There really wasn’t time to worry about anything except whether we’d actually be able to unlock the doors on launch day (which had been heavily promoted for weeks). Looking back, I truly don’t know how I managed to pull that off. It wouldn’t have been possible without my friends and family stepping in for the early mornings and late nights!

It was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken, and at the time I didn’t even realize it. The grand opening night made it all worth it, the store was packed, we certainly broke some sort of fire codes that night. To this day, the night of the grand opening was the most rewarding feeling ever. Big risk equals big rewards, right?

Abby, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Absolutely! I graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2020 and decided to stay in Fayetteville — the college town that’s always felt like home. In March of 2022, I received a call that completely changed my path. At the time I was working a corporate job when the opportunity I’d always dreamt of, but kept on the back burner, fell into my lap. I quit my job, took the leap, and by August of that same year, A-Team was born.

From the beginning, my goal was to bring something new and exciting to Fayetteville — to fill a gap in the local market by offering brands people usually only see online. I wanted to create a space where you could touch, try on, and experience clothing from some of your favorite labels that weren’t otherwise available in our area. We carry a curated mix of high-end and more affordable brands, but the one non-negotiable has always been quality. No matter the price point, I want every piece in the store to feel special.

What sets us apart is our focus on people. I’ve always said I want the customer to feel like a friend. My team and I go out of our way to make every interaction personal — whether that’s helping someone find the perfect outfit for an event, or just being honest about what truly works for them. We offer a range of specialty services, too, like fast in-house alterations, private shopping parties, personal styling (in-store, virtual, or even in your own closet), same-day shipping, and local delivery. We try to make shopping easy, fun, and real.

A-Team is more than just a clothing store — it’s about connection, confidence, and community. I’m so proud of the space we’ve built, and of how far we’ve come since opening our doors. Seeing people walk out feeling more confident than when they walked in is still the best part of my job.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

To be honest, I could write a book on chaotic scenarios, but this one stands out. If you live anywhere near the University of Arkansas, you know football game days are basically a citywide holiday. Considering our storefront is steps from campus, they’re some of the busiest days of the entire year — so when something goes wrong, it feels monumental.

One Saturday morning, leading up to the Arkansas v Tennessee game, I got a panicked call from one of my employees. The Wi-Fi was completely out — on one of the biggest days of the year. She had a line of customers (thankfully the kind and patient type) waiting to check out with no way to process payments. I was hosting out-of-town guests at my house but immediately threw on my shoes and booked it the store. I made it there in about 15 minutes through game day traffic, which honestly deserves its own medal.

I arrived fully frantic, ready to jump in however I could — knowing I couldn’t magically bring the Wi-Fi back but also knowing we couldn’t turn customers away. But when I walked in, she was calmer than I expected. She had already taken control of the situation: pen to paper, writing down every customer’s item, total with tax, credit card information, and phone number. She had turned chaos into order.

All I really did was show up with a hotspot and a prayer. That day taught me one of the most important lessons in small business — hire people who are better than you.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

Our Grab Bag Sale will always be one of my favorite marketing moments. Anyone in retail knows that January and February are slow months — and when you add in college students being gone for winter break, it’s even tougher. At the time, we were coming off our first six months in business and had so much inventory. I knew nothing about inventory control or planning yet, so I had to get creative.

I thought, what if we let people take the sale items and make it a free-for-all — sounds crazy, I know! It was a scary thought, but I decided to run with it. We offered two bag sizes — small and large — and customers could fill whichever one they chose with as many items as they could fit, for one flat price. The only rule? The bag had to staple shut at the top.

It took a ton of marketing to explain the concept, and I barely slept the nights leading up to it. I kept thinking, what if nobody shows up after all this? My team and I got to the store around 7 a.m. the morning of the sale, doors set to open at 9. When I pulled up, I was in disbelief — there was a line wrapped around the store and down the street. I looked around to see what was going on, then it clicked. They were here for us, for the sale. Girls had brought chairs, blankets, and jackets; it was no warmer than 30 degrees outside. While exciting, that was also nerve racking! We just wanted to live up to their standards at this point.

When the first girl checked out, we asked what time she’d arrived. Her answer: 6 a.m. That’s when I knew we had done something right. The energy was wild — girls were rolling clothes as tight as possible, stuffing them into shoes, playing real-life Tetris on every square inch of the floor to fit every last item into their bag. There were hangers and shoeboxes everywhere, and lots of happy customers!

It was pure chaos, but the best kind — the kind you never forget. That first Grab Bag Sale was such a success that it became a tradition. Now, more than three years later, it’s one of our most anticipated annual events.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ateamcollections.com
• Instagram: @shop.ateam
• Facebook: A-Team Collections
• Yelp: A-Team Collections
• Other: Tik Tok: @shop.ateam

Image Credits

Photos of the store, and branding photos credited to: Emily Hendricks Photography
Other images credited to Abby Austin