Pay attention, college students, to your classmates. You never know who might end up being a future business partner.
That is the case for Pamela Madison and Erin Flemming, who are opening Scrubs 360 Consignment in Fountain City at the end of the month. The shop features gently used, second hand apparel and shoes for medical workers. The store is located at 4883 N. Broadway in the shopping center anchored by Food City, Big Lots and Planet Fitness.
Madison and Fleming have been friends for 17 years. They met while both were attending nursing school at Roane State Community College. Madison is a licensed practical nurse (LPN) while Flemming is a registered nurse (RN) and dental hygienist.
“I’ve been selling scrubs on Ebay for a while,” Madison said. “But I dreamed of having an actual store.”
Enter longtime friend Flemming, already the owner of Fountain City Nutrition just two doors down in the same shopping center.
“I had been in touch with the landlord to get first dibs on a space if it became available,” Flemming said. “So, I was already in talks ready to do something else. I am a bit of a risk taker. I had to convince her a little bit.”
“I’m not so much” Madison said to being a “risk taker,” but that her personality and Flemming’s balance together well going forward with the business.
“It was really around Christmas that we decided to go ahead with it,” Madison said. “It was now or never.”
Originally from South Carolina, Madison moved to Knoxville with her family in 2000 and attended both Bearden High School and Knoxville Christian School. She now lives in Clinton.
Flemming is Knoxville born and raised, growing up in South Knoxville and graduating from South-Doyle High School. She now lives in Fountain City, which helps since she has an established business and she’s close to her sister who lends a hand with her five children.
“I just really like the history and the feel of Fountain City,” Flemming said.
While the women are no longer working as nurses, Flemming still works some as a dental hygienist.
“I do keep my nursing education and certifications up to date,” Flemming said. “But I like having my own business and the flexibility that comes with that.”
And by flexibility she does not mean she’s “not busy,” just the flexibility of being on her own clock and not someone else’s.
The partners both said when considering a new business venture, they wanted to make it was something health care related, to stay close to the field they both care so much about.
While opening a business coming off the Covid-19 pandemic might have seemed a daunting prospect on first blush, Madison said they saw it as an opportunity.
“All the nurses were working through Covid,” Madison said. “And they were having to get more scrubs. So, we thought maybe it might be a good time to start this. People are low on money, and scrubs are an added expense for health care workers.”
Scrubs 360 Consignment is scheduled to open March 31. Flemming said they plan to have a ribbon cutting and opening reception with refreshments. She said they also plan to have Medic blood drives at the location in the future.
“That’s just another way to help give back to the community,” Flemming said.
To learn more about the business go here.
Have a sneak peek some of the store’s, which leans toward light-hearted vintage:
Beth Kinnane is the community news editor for KnoxTNToday.com.