(Photo courtesy Funky Janes)

Set your calendar for Monday to stop by Funky Janes in The Junction to congratulate its new proprietor and wish its former owner well. Their announcement:

Funky Janes has long been a pillar in the West Seattle community. It was opened in Jefferson Square in the ’80s, and has seen two moves (previously located across the street from Husky Deli) under previous owner Angela Nichols. For the last 9 years, it has been located at 4455 California Ave SW.

Maybe you’ve never visited the shop. Maybe you’ve stopped in after brunch at Ma’Ono or on a rainy day because you needed a hat. Funky Janes is still here because West Seattle believes in small businesses. The heart of the store has always been its commitment to the neighborhood and the people whom support it.

At the end of March, this institution changed hands from 20-year owner Angela Nichols to Panida Vilaythong.

Panida, previously a millinery apprentice and aspiring fashion designer, has dreamed of owning & running a women’s consignment boutique since her early 20s. When learning through a friend that Funky Janes might be on the market back in January, she knew this was her chance! She is a former West Seattle resident, but her heart remains in the community and protecting the essence of Funky Janes. At its core, the shop is about community-motivated business and economics at work on a small scale in our lives. A place we can gather and share. The community has always meant the world to the ladies of the store, from 25-year consigners to the ladies who walked in for the first time. Panida will continue to carry the torch that has burned so bright in West Seattle for many years. The only change to Funky Janes is the ownership.

In celebration of Angela’s semi-retirement, Panida’s takeover and all the wonderful customers who contribute to the success of Funky Janes, they will be hosting a happy hour event Monday, May 13th from 4 PM to 7 PM. Please stop in, hang out with Angela, meet Panida, and share cake, beverages, and stories of Funky Janes’ past. Let’s give Angela a warm sendoff toward her new & exciting endeavors!
Angela adds, “I am very excited to start the next chapter in my life but very sad since I have worked at Funky Janes / Kathy’s Kloset – the original name – since 1990… It was a job I started my senior year in high school … worked on and off through college and managed it for the second owner who changed the name to the current name … I will truly miss my customers which I call my store friends. I look forward to seeing them around West Seattle. My kids grew up at Funky Janes and now that my oldest is in college and my youngest is wrapping his freshman year of high school I felt it was the right time to move on. I feel so blessed that the legacy of Funky Janes will continue to live on and thrive. I will continue to help out at the store and I would love to see and catch up with my friends!”