Business Community

Business Spotlight: Precious Collective offers style for all sizes

Many recent college graduates spend their first few weeks or months after commencement looking for a job. Josie Ciaciuch created her own. 

The 22-year-old, who graduated from Linfield University in McMinnville, Ore., this spring, opened Precious Collective Boutique in the Uptown Gig Harbor complex on July 8. The store specializes in size-inclusive clothing, inspired by Ciaciuch’s own family, which includes members of all different shapes. 

It’s a big step for someone who’s only a couple months removed from final exams. She’s been met with skepticism at times. 

“Honestly, there are some challenging parts to it,” she said. “I think when you’re young, people do underestimate you. They look at you like, what do you think you’re doing? I haven’t let any of those voices get to me. … Overall, I’ve had more support rather than people being negative to me, which has been amazing.” 

Josie Ciaciuch inside her Precious Collective Boutique in Uptown Gig Harbor. The 22-year-old recent Linfield University graduate opened the store on July 8.

Graduation times two

In a sense, opening the store is a second graduation for Ciaciuch. After graduating from Linfield on May 28, she’s now graduating from online sales to brick-and-mortar. 

Ciaciuch (it’s pronounced “cha-chew,” “sorta like you’re sneezing,” Josie says) operated a second-hand thrift store, Gems by Josie, online for two years. She did most of the work from her Linfield dorm room. 

The thrifting business grew so popular that she could barely keep clothes in stock. Then she spent a summer working at a boutique in Tacoma, getting to know the business better, and before long she was hooked. 

Family affair 

The “aha!” moment came when she filled in for her ailing father, Jim, on a trip to an industry convention in Las Vegas. Jim Ciaciuch also opened a business last weekend, a novelty sock store at Tacoma Mall that employs people with autism and other cognitive disabilities. 

Jim planned to attend the convention to buy inventory for his new store, called Couple of Socks. He came down with COVID-19 and sent Josie and her sister instead.   

“I remember her telling me, Dad, this is what I want to do!” Jim recalled. 

The Precious Collective Boutique in Uptown Gig Harbor caters to size-inclusive clothing.

Family is a big part of Precious Collective. Jim, a longtime entrepreneur who has owned numerous businesses during his career, offered mentorship and advice and helped Josie locate the Uptown location. Mom Kim helps out and is listed on the store’s website as its operations manager. Sister Noelle Land is a model for one of the store’s specialties, plus-size clothing. 

“I’m just really proud of her, as any dad would be,” Jim said. “I will help her and support her any way I can. But she doesn’t really need any support.” 

Chuckling, he added that while he offers general business advice, “I can’t give her any clothes advice.” 

Simultaneously size-inclusive and stylish 

A big part of Ciaciuch’s niche is providing boutique-quality clothing for women of all sizes. The women in her family inspired the emphasis. 

She has a sister with autism, who “needs clothing that is functional and is comfortable. But she also wants to look stylish.” 

Josie herself is on the small side. Another sister is plus-sized, and that dichotomy was a major inspiration for the direction her business took. 

“In general, there aren’t a lot of vendors that make stylish, plus-size clothing,” Ciaciuch said. “It is pretty tricky, going out and looking for stylish clothing that people who are plus-size would actually wear. That’s one thing my sister told me: It’s great that people are trying to make plus-sized clothing, but it’s not always something people would want to wear.” 

She wants clothing to be fun, instead of just a matter of what you can find, for people of all sizes. 

“Clothing, in my opinion, is something that you can express your true self through,” she said. “I think, being a woman, you’re told to act ladylike and dress a certain way. I think you should be able to express yourself.” 

Location, location, location 

Precious Collective is located on the east side of the sprawling Uptown complex, between Home Goods and Massage Envy. Finding it took some doing, Jim said, but the 1,000-square-foot-spot should end up being perfect. The boutique’s target audience likely overlaps with the businesses on either side of it. 

“As it was relayed to me, half the women in this town shop right next door every month,” Jim said. “I told Josie, God gave us a great spot.” 

Ciaciuch is aiming for a stylish-yet-affordable inventory that fills a niche between existing businesses in Uptown. 

“We have two boutiques that are thriving” in Uptown, Josie said. “One caters to the younger audience and one caters to the older audience, where their price point is a little higher. I’m trying to fill the in-between.” 

Starting out, Precious Collective is open seven days a week: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. At the moment, Josie plans to staff it by herself, taking advantage of that youthful energy. 

“I’m just going to get the hang of things for the first couple of weeks,” she said. “I think it’s important to be the face of the business, so people get to know you.” 

Precious Collective is located in the Uptown complex between Home Goods and Massage Envy.