Today, TMZ is reporting that Nene Leakes is going into the retail business. They say her first store will be in Atlantic City. Um, Atlantic City? I recently watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s , Parts Unknown on Atlantic City. Atlantic City is the new Detroit. Detroit, is actually making a comeback from complete economic devastation after the failure of the car industry in that city as well as government mismanagement. Atlantic City on the other hand is still swirling the toilet after the whole gagillion dollar Casino industry went belly up. Donald Trump could not turn a profit in Atlantic City and took a huge loss on his casinos. The economy of Atlantic City is SO BAD that it’s a big problem for Chris Christie’s presidential run. It’s a disaster. Why not start out in Atlanta where things are booming and there are a lot of rabid Nene fans? Business mistake number one. This is SUCH a bad idea, I don’t even know that I believe it.
But you know Nene is a hustler and always looking for a way to make a dollar so I am sure she has something up her sleeve.
Let’s looks a the positive side of this.
Click through for more on the story.
But there is some good news, that may make this less risky than it sounds. Ceasar’s Place is adding new construction of a big boardwalk on a pier of a multiple use complex for a music venue, boxing events, bars, a bowling alley and retail space called Playground. In all the Facebook discussion of this you have hundreds of people begging for a job fair. So employees will be plentiful. And the developer of this project admits he is taking a huge risk investing in Atlantic City, but he is from Philly and loves Atlantic city and wants to help in the rejuvenation. Atlantic City is turning toward concerts to try to get back on track, so this could work. It’s a gamble, but it looks like it will be a beautiful facility. You know just like the beautiful casinos who went to big and are now huge empty shells.
According to TMZ Nene plans to sell her own line Nene by Nene Leakes and other labels. The Kardashians and Kyle Richards and Kandi Burruss have done this but again they started in their own city. This is a major financial investment that will take a lot of hands on time. You want to make your initial mistakes in your hometown. I think her T-Shirt line will be her big seller at this venue. Everyone buys a T-Shirt on vacation.
Best of luck to you Nene! I can’t wait to see how this all turns out. I have a feeling her little fan boy from Philly who has been Instagramming her and sending her Tiffany coffee mugs will end up running the retail store. He seems like more of a label whore who shops to much than a business man. But we shall see. He’s recently made is Instagram private. That’s to bad. It was an interesting mix of brand label shopping excess and quotes about knowing what people value showing you who they are. It was tres amusing.
No thanks! She needs to keep her garbage at home!
I’m not a NJ native but from what I’ve observed of NJ folk, her store won’t do well .
She should have opened the store in midtown Manhattan because tourists who visit NYC will buy anything .
Yes, starting a business is not easy. Good for Nene. Maybe the rents are low now in Atlantic City if the situation is like you describe. It’s actually not such a bad idea, particularly if she’s looking to appeal to the people who vacation there. Her t-shirts are an item that pretty much anybody will be able to afford. I assume someone has done some market research. Don’t be surprised if she plugs these relentlessly (a la Bethenny) next season on RHOA.
First of all just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy this site. You always convey the things I want to say but can’t quite put into words.
As far as these Nene t-shirts go…Tacky and obnoxious. Almost as bad as Brandi’s line..oh dear.
Has anyone seriously purchased the I’m Very Rich Bitch tshirt? If so…would they actually wear it? I can almost think of nothing more unappealing.
But you would wear one of my “YOU’RE The Cunt Satchel” T-shirts. right? RIGHT?
On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 4:53 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Only if it’s bedazzled in rainbow sparkles.
Hell, I’d wear that too.
The tshirt stores on the boardwalk are a dime a dozen but you would kill it with the cunt satchels shirt! I second the rainbow bedazzling idea, glitter too, why don’t you sell on your site?
People have been asking for awhile. I’d have to look into which t-shirt place would be the best to use.
On Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 12:06 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Idea. Cunt-Satchel t-shirts with a picture of a big tomato. Bedazzled tomato! No?
Atlantic City seems like such a weird place to do this…ugh no thanks to her clothes but each their own
Since she reneged on her promise to make a matching donation to the Detroit school system, she could open a store there and at least provide jobs for a handful of people.
Interesting. NeNe is always on the hustle. It is a surprising location but I’m sure the new York connection ease of access was enticing. People want to rebuild jersey so it could work but I think likely a slow start up.
I will believe this when I see it. TMZ said she hadn’t signed a lease anywhere yet. Also, Playland was pretty much plotted out with merchants months ago.
This makes no sense to me. B
But that doesn’t mean it is not true.
On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 6:18 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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True & I was just there this weekend. The Pier is the only high end place in AC, noticeably different in affordability and the crowd there. It’s mostly expensive stores (Gucci & the like) with a sprinkling of some regular
big brand stores (Victoria’s secret), and trendy NYC/Miami style restaurants (also expensive). I doubt nene could afford the rent even with the economic slump in AC.
@rose Atlantic city is very far away from
NYC there’s no ease of access.
2 hrs driving actually, 1.5 on Amtrak. Not super close but it’s kinda trashy so….
I live in NJ and Atlantic City has been an eye sore since the 1970’s. People go there to gamble for the night and high-tail it back home after a few hours. It’s very dangerous to wander away from the casino’s. I don’t like Christie but he inherited this problem.
El Partner and I just got back from Detroit two weeks ago for a four day mini vacay. It’s really on the rebound and I highly recommend everyone go – especially to the Detroit Institute of Arts and see the Diego Rivera murals.
I have the feeling that Nene’s store is going to be like the Sister Wive’s store – more of a storefront in an existing retail space (more than likely a casino) than an actual store like the Gap or Abercrombie&Fitch or wherever the cool hip kids shop today (yeah, I buy shirts at Target. Sue me.) or a pop-up store, renting space for a limited amount of time (usually two months) to establish a storefront presence before committing to an actual shop. If it flops, she can blame the AC economy, if it thrives, she can leverage it for an actual real store in her hometown.
Pop up stores and restaurants are huge right now, because it actually has little initial outlay and minimal risk.
TMZ has photos of her in the construction area looking a leasing spaces.
On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 6:30 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I wonder if this is part of the deal she said she was announcing soon with Kim Kardashian, since like you said, the Kardashians own/operate multiple locations similar in theory to this idea….
Well maybe she can rent out some of her space to her good friend Tre when she gets out to peddle some of her crap also.
Is this thru some of her Donald Trump connections, like the business partner she “dated” while she was “divorced?”
While I’m not sure what the connection is to Atlantic City it makes perfect sense to me that she’d choose somewhere besides Atlanta to open a retail store. Doesn’t Kandi own several successful clothing stores in Atlanta? We all know Nene is extremely jealous or her success and there’s no way she would open a clothing store in Atlanta and risk it being a failure. In her mind that would make her a failure at something Kandi was a success at.
Now that Nene’s rich she can afford shirts with shoulders.
Unless she trademarks her quotes, which I hope her business lawyer advised, tee-shirts and cheap handbags are a dime a dozen, whether they are bedazzled, distressed, shorn, preppy etc. If China decides to mass produce and sell knock offs at a $10 store, she’s out of business. I would not wish that on any female businesswomen. Ahem, but this is Nene; nuff said.
which phrases did she coin?
Did she coin those? That was an assumption on my part. I only started to watch RHOA Season 6 and 7. Recent convert. I may have spoken out of turn. Well, I hope she did or her tee-shirts will become cheap NJ boardwalk or venice beach wear. Not very profitable. She should continue to partner with QVC and rake in her share with that venture and forgo overhead costs with opening her own store. Either way it’s Nene and like TT mentioned, she’s a hustler. I give her props for that.
She hasn’t coined anything. Ironically, Kenya called NENE “So Nasty and So Rude” at the reunion and Nene started selling T-shirts.
On Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 8:04 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I can’t see myself wearing a Nene’s “I’M VERY RICH BITCH” tee shirt.
Number 1: I’m not rich
Number. 2: I wouldn’t support anything Nene does.
Number 3: My Grandchilden can read and would think I am crass.
Number 4: I don’t call anybody a bitch. I just give the person “The Look” which explains my opinion of “said person” loud and clear.
Number 5: I don’t believe you have to talk or advertise that you’re a “Very Rich Bitch.” It’s unbecoming.
Number 6: I don’t believe you are rich if you have to keep telling everybody you are rich .
Number 7: Nene isn’t a Warren Buffet, that’s for sure. He’s a cut above all that nonsense! And, he has dignity and kind hardiness.
Just saying!
Oops! In Number 7: I’m meant to say Warren Buffet has a kind heart.
Oh, I do say some dirty words occasionally here when I comment! But around others that I know personally, I try hard not to use words that would shock their tender ears. Watching the Real Housewives makes dirty words seem normal now to me.
I was hammering a nail into wood the other day and hit my finger and yelped out the word “f*ck.!” I was alone at the time.
At any rate, I love the Real Housewive shows and I love TT’s blogs and reading all the comments here. And, it’s fun here!
@Patti R, I agree with you on points 1 thru 7. And I do use dirty words if the occasion warrants it, 😉