Ingrid Loy is living two “dreams come true” now that she’s become the new owner of Nini’s Treasures at The Highlands in Ohio County.
Loy is an instructor of marketing at West Liberty University – dream come true #1 – and this past week she officially became the proprietor of the destination boutique in the Town Centre area of The Highlands – dream come true #2.
“When I was a child I always, thought it would be great to own a gown boutique because I’ve always loved to get dressed up in new clothes,” she revealed. “Not a wedding gown shop necessarily, but a boutique with beautiful dresses and all the accessories for all the occasions.
“And I wanted to be a school teacher, too, when I was young,” Loy continued. “And now, after a lot of experience for several companies in sales and marketing, the position I have at West Liberty University definitely is fulfilling a dream for me.”
Local resident Nini Zadrozny has owned Nini’s Treasure at The Highlands for nearly 20 years, but she wished to retire and has been talking about selling the business for more than a year. That’s when another shop owner reached out to Loy.
“A friend, Stacy Dietz, called me and told me Nini’s was for sale and wondered if I had any students who were hoping to become an entrepreneur,” Loy explained. “I told her I didn’t think so but that I would check with them. That’s when my husband (Chris) looked at me and asked me, ‘Why not you?’ And I said back, ‘Why not me?
“I knew I absolutely love what I do. I love my job at West Liberty,” she said. “Then my husband said that he thought I could do both and it kind of made sense because, as a kid, I always wanted to be a school teacher and I always wanted to own a boutique. So, here I am, with the best of both worlds.”
Before accepting her teaching position at WLU, Loy had been employed by the High Tech Foundation, the Mollohan Family Charitable Foundation, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, and Eagle Manufacturing, but after continuing conversations with her spouse and conducting more investigation into the venture, she made her decision.
“So, we really started discussing it about a month later, and that’s when I gave Stacy a call and asked her for Nini’s contact information,” Loy said. “It’s a business that’s been here a long time so people know it and obviously love it, so I knew it could remain popular.
“After I investigated and got all the answers to all of my questions, we met with the attorneys,” she said. “That’s when we really started thinking this might be the right decision for us, so we moved forward with the process. There’s so much you have to do to purchase a business like this, but it’s all official now just in time for the holiday season.”
Chasing Her Fate
The teacher already has learned a lesson from the consumer, and Loy is the first to share her newfound insight into the retail business.
Her motivation to become the new proprietor of Nini’s Treasures was not only based on her youthful visions but also because she was a customer with an appreciation for the shop’s inventory of purses, accessories, clothing, and jewelry.
But she found a new ingredient soon after signing the paperwork.
“First, I didn’t want to see this business not be here anymore because it’s always been one of my favorites. I can tell you the customers have been fantastic and I’ve loved helping people find those perfect gifts,” Loy said. “But maybe I didn’t understand the magic that happens in the store, but now I’m twice as happy as I was when I decided to buy it.
“We’ve been helping our clients search for the most terrific gifts, but it’s been a great experience for me, too, because it’s shown me how special the process can be,” she explained. “I knew working with our clients was big part of owning a shop like Nini’s, but it’s that look a customer gives you that has made it a very special experience for me. It’s the best part, I believe.”
And she wants those customers to know from the very beginning – Loy is changing nothing. Not the brands. Not the service. Not the traditions.
“Buying Nini’s Treasures means continuing the same story here because Nini built an amazing brand,” Loy said. “We are not changing a thing because it’s what our customers have come to appreciate over the years. So, again, we’re not changing a thing. We’ll be keeping the same brands and the same kind of selections of jewelry, clothing, purses, and other accessories.
“We’re rebuilding the excitement right now and we’re reminding our customers that we’re here and ready to help find those perfect presents,” she said. “And then in 2025, Nini’s Treasure will continue to be a very special shop here at The Highlands.”
Loy insisted her proprietorship of Nini’s Treasure will not interfere with her teaching duties at WLU, but the shop owner will have a new perspective to share now that she’s become an entrepreneur with her business to market to the residents of the Upper Ohio Valley.
“I’m always talking with my students about what it is they want to do once they are finished with school, and I have about 20 to 30 percent of them who want to own their own business or will be taking over a family business,” Loy said. “And we talk about the good parts and about the stuff that’s hard about it, too.
“I’ll never give up my teaching job because I love what I do, and owning Nini’s will not change how I prep for the classes. The biggest difference, though, is I won’t just be talking to the talk, but I’ll be walking the walk,” she added. “I won’t take the business into the classroom, but it’s inevitable that the business will improve my perspective and it will allow me to help my students even more.”
