Claire V, Polished Expanding to Blacksburg

Purses from the Claire V collection.

My friend Laura Godfrey, owner of Claire V and Polished and the winner of the 2010 Valley Business FRONT "For the Right Reasons" Award, has expanded into Blacksburg.

Here's what Laura has to say: "I just wanted to let you know that we have officially signed the lease for our second location, It's in Blacksburg, on Main Street, where Xanadu used to be.

"It is about 2.5 times the size of our location in downtown Roanoke, so we'll have more treatment rooms and we'll also be expanding our lines in the store, including carrying Bare Minerals. We will still continue our relationship with Bethany Hall with the opening of the new location."

Claire V specializes in upscale purses and Polished helps women to look their best.

Laura won her FRONT award--the first of its kind--because she runs her business in the right way and "for the right reasons." She has been heavily involved in hiring women needing a second chance (Bethany Hall is a recovery facility for the addicted) and those maimed by war (her factories in Southeast Asia employ women injured by mines).

Laura is a whiz at retail, but she's also been consulting of late in IT, a woman of many talents and a streak of kindness that makes the gods smile.