Starla Heim, owner: Dooley's Tuxedo & Costumes.

AuthorStomierowski, Peg
PositionView from the Top

Store operator Starla Heim, who recently lost her mother and business partner Rose Heim, viewed her as the backbone of their family business. In 1968, Starla's parents came from Colorado to Alaska, where Starla, the youngest of four, was born. Rose and daughter Sheryl bought Dooley's in 1980 from Doris Dooley, who started the business in 1971 in Fairbanks. According to Starla, Sheryl remains a silent partner and serves as a sounding board when needed. And just about everyone in the family, she adds, can be found behind the counter at fun times like Halloween. Starla also is a community volunteer.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: Around here, we are a team. We take pride in being a family owned and operated sales and rental business, and want to keep it personal, in close communication with our customers and employees. I like having a team that works together and am always trying to work with our handful of employees as a team leader. Meeting all of our commitments takes a lot of communication.

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LOOSENING UP: For a few years now people have been going much less formal in weddings-it seems to be a national trend. Fewer people are getting married, there are fewer big weddings, and you're seeing more suits and ties rather than formalwear, so we have had to transition to accommodate that. We have plenty of costume business to make up for the slackened tuxedo demand.

THEME PARTIES: Since the economy plunged, people are having more parties in their homes instead of going out; there is some form of theme costume party in this town every weekend-from 1920s to '70s, vampires to renaissance, superheroes and many more. We pay attention to...

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