Like this?: At last count Kieva had over a hundred pairs of shoes. It's no wonder that she would open a store dedicated to shoes and handbags.

By Leighton Williams, Projects Co-ordinator

Dancer Kieva Hibbert has decided to let the world enter her closet. Kieva's Kloset is the dancer's latest venture, a clothing store located at shop 2 in Princeville Plaza, St. Andrew.

But, although giving the outside world a sneak preview of what's inside her Kloset, she said it was no easy feat.

"I was scared when I was starting out. I was so scared I asked somebody to help me share it. My father told me not to share and he encouraged me to start it," said Kieva.

Kieva's Kloset, is her first foray into the world of business after wracking up trophies and accolades in the world of dancing. The store sells men and women clothing and accessories. She says the store was started last year because she wanted to have an investment and something to rely on when her career as a dancer ends.

Minimum advertising

"I know I won't be dancing for the rest of my life, and I need something for the future so that's why I opened it," she said.

She said she came up with the name because everyone's closet has variety, hence, whenever one opens their closet they will see shoes and everything.

"I love colours and inside of my closet there are many pairs of shoes and various colour clothes and so on. So, that's how I came up with the name," she said.

To date, Kieva's business has been going well although she has done minimum advertising. She says she has spread the word about her business by telling the selectors to pass the word around at the various dances.

"The selectors help to bus it because advertising was expensive. But, the word got around and we are doing well," she said.

Kieva explained that a part of the reason for her success is customer service.

"We open on time and we do lay away. In addition, we are very affordable and we provide the complete suit for everyone. Some people come in and they want the bottom of a suit we try to tell them how they would look in the suit. The staff is also very friendly," said Kieva.

The dancer says she has had patrons who are both friends and enemies and who thought she wouldn't succeed. She says there are plans to expand and eventually make the store a household name, but she is taking everything one step at a time.

"Expanding is a part of the plan, but we are not rushing it. We just want to ensure that everything is done in its own time," she said.

In the meantime, she is grateful to her many customers who has made opening her Kloset a successful venture.

Dance hall diva Kieva in her store at Shop #2 at the Princeville plaza on Constant Spring Road. - Ricardo Makyn photos