Tough Love Boutique to Close

photo by John Morris at Goodnight Raleigh

In a letter to New Raleigh on Sunday, owner Ashley Reynolds expressed her love for shopping locally but stated that it had been tough times for Tough Love. The boutique will be open until August 10th with everything on sale. Stop by and give some love.

Tough Love Website and blog

Thank you so much for supporting Tough Love Boutique over the past two years. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to share my vision and style with the city of Raleigh. After many months of contemplating the future of Tough Love and Hillsborough street I have decided to close. Tough Love will be open until August 10th, everything including furniture and fixtures will be on sale. Thank you all again for supporting Tough Love and remember to shop local. Local businesses give a city the soul it needs to prosper and grow, please go to WWW.ShopLocalRaleigh.com to find more information on supporting local businesses.

Have a Great Day,

Ashley

Tough Love LLC
3114 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27607
919-833-0073

Lisa Jeffries07/26 11:27 PM

Such a bummer. I enjoyed getting in there when I could. Ashley is fantastic! Here’s hoping there’s more opportunity for her off of HST.

Hollis Guerra07/27 07:58 AM

I went in yesterday and was so bummed to hear the news. I really wish Hillsborough would step it up.

Karen07/27 09:22 AM

Never heard of it until now. I can’t imagine that location was a good one.

adam!!07/27 08:29 PM

with such a perfect location, i just don’t see how this is possible.

BG07/28 03:17 AM

Karen,

Its a great location if the City of Raleigh would get off its ass and change this area. I have been all over the country and its a shame that NCSU has such a horrible looking downtown area compared to other colleges of its caliber. I have lived here all my life and its just become worse. I hope these traffic circles are of better times to come, or they just may be a way to hurry folks thru so they don’t see the ugliness.

Sorry about Tough Times….

Matt W07/28 03:25 AM

BG—what do you suggest the city does? Do you want them to start knocking down buildings and evicting legitimate businesses? At some point, Hillsborough will just need to grow organically.

BG07/28 05:27 AM

I stand behind my statement….the Hillsborough area is in piss poor condition and it needs to change so people will think of it as the place to be. Sorry Tough Love but I have no desire to visit that area.

hueraleigh07/28 05:50 AM

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to Raleigh was how run down the area around NCSU looked. With universities like Duke and UNC nearby it seems like it would be in Raleigh’s best interest to update NCSU’s area! The area has such great potential and can provide plenty of customers.

Matt W07/28 07:39 AM

I’ll ask again—what exactly should the city do to “update the area”? I am in full agreement that most of Hillborough looks awful. The city can widen roads (in spots) and maybe improve parking, but what else are they supposed to do? There are good businesses in most of those run down building. Do you intend to have the city go eminent domain on them to knock down the buildings or what? Cup A Joe and Guru Guitars right across the street from Tough Love would probably have a lot to say about that.

A Hillsborough St. renovation is going to require absolutely massive amounts of work that will take a lot of years and millions upon millions of dollars that the city doesn’t have. NCSU and the citizens around the area should bear responsibility for getting things pointed in the right direction.

sarah07/28 09:33 AM

Lame! Tough Love is one of the reasons I miss Raleigh. Ashley did a great job, and I hope she finds another outlet soon.

<3, Tough Lover

Harry Seaward07/28 10:16 AM

i agree, Hillsborough St is a dump. but unfortunately there is not a ton the city can do now. even if they tried i am sure they would screw it up.

David07/28 10:26 AM

Ummm.. maybe you haven’t noticed, but they are redoing the entire street.

BG07/29 09:27 AM

David,

That is the street, you can put lipstick on a pig….

W07/29 10:55 AM

That’s sad to hear, it was such a great store and the clothes are just terrific.

arthurb307/30 05:24 AM

You guys do realize that when you get your coffee at Starbucks or eat at PF Changs you are not supporting local organizations. If you want an area to change you have to begin by supporting the business in the area.

Kim07/31 02:57 PM

I’m sorry to hear about Tough Love closing - Ashley your business model was great and the store was super cute. Don’t give up.

Not all of Hillsborough Street is horrible, but there are quite a few buildings that defiantly need some help. Of course the enconomy isn’t at it’s best at the moment but the owners of these buildings need to keep them in shape or renovate them. Appearance is a lot when it comes to people feeling welcome into a space or a location. Sprucing up these areas or buildings would attract the right kind of businesses for this area. There are so many things that could help Hillsborough St. and they all feed off of each other. A great business is going to have a hard time surviving beside a rundown building,so each person has to do what they can. We as the people of Raleigh we have to support local businesses, it really does go a long way. Remember that you vote every time you go to the checkout counter!

KAT07/31 04:25 PM

I am more than willing to support local businesses that deserve to be supported. Guru Guitars has great customer service and are incredibly talented, Tough Love was very cool but I choose to get my lattes at Starbucks on Lake Boone because the folks who work there are fantastic. They know our names and chat everytime wee go in. Cup of Joe makes me feel like I am totally bothering them whenever i go in. Can’t stand the snobbery there. So yes, i will go to Starbucks and not feel bad and then i will go shop at Rebus Works, eat at Zely and Ritz, visit the State Farmers Market and so on and so on…...there are great local vendors who I will always go to first due to their customer service and there are locally owned businesses that suck at customer service and I will avoid them at all costs….

g¢08/01 01:58 PM

That’s too bad. I shopped there for friends often and always found the people working there to be so nice.

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Jedidiah Sunday, July 26, 2009