Fashionista re-opens months after car crashed into store

Palm Beach Post (FL)

Monique Javarone pauses slightly to catch her breath when she talks about the black Mercedes that obliterated the front of her South County Road store in December.

"It's been so hard emotionally, hard financially," Javarone said Monday with a shaky voice. "I'm a pretty positive person, but there have been moments that were very tough."

Fashionista opened on Oct. 1, after being closed for repairs since December, after a woman who was trying to parallel park stepped on the accelerator and crashed into the store.

While no one was injured as a result of the accident, the damage to the store was extensive.

On Dec. 19, Javarone had decided to open at noon instead of at 11 a.m. thinking that it made more sense to open later during season. It turned out to be a very lucky decision, Javarone said.

"Otherwise, the outcome could have been much worse. My mother and my employees could have been hurt badly."

Fashionista's windows once again have mannequins, jewelry and handbags on display, but Javarone said it has been a long journey.

"When construction was going on for the repairs, I had to take most of the merchandise out of the store, and what remained had to be sealed from the dust," Javarone said.

During the time the store was closed, Javarone set up private appointments for her clients.

"I did have people that called and came over; but it's not very luxurious to have them walk through an alley and come in the back of the store," Javarone said.

Javarone said her online business on the website First Dibs, which she's posted items on since 2011, also was impacted by the accident. "I wasn't able to post any new items or photos," she said.

Javarone told The Palm Beach Daily News a few days after the accident that repairs to the store and merchandise replacement would cost about $80,000. She said Monday that she did not want discuss the final repair cost.

Jewelry, clothes and mannequins were destroyed and the storefront was covered with plywood. She hoped at the time to have the glass installed within eight weeks and for the store to re-open a couple of months after that. But by then, season was over.

Javarone said the accident cost her about $25,000 in sales.

"Aside from the impact of just loss of revenue, there were consignors that pulled their merchandise. I had clients that have gone elsewhere, and I don't know if I'll ever get those clients back," Javarone said. "The success of my business is the product I have, and I'm very reliant on that flow of merchandise from great consignors. When you lose some of that, it takes time to recover."

Javarone is now in litigation with the driver of the Mercedes, Sara Fabrikant, 73, and husband Charles Fabrikant, who is the registered owner of the vehicle.

Public court documents show that in March, Javarone filed a negligence action against the Fabrikants for damages in excess of $15,000. The document states: "Due to Sara Fabrikant's negligence, Fashionista sustained severe physical damage to the exterior and interior of the store, suffered intensive damage to store fixtures and merchandise."

Records show that an attempt at mediation between the three parties held earlier this month, resulted in no agreement.

Javarone declined to comment on details regarding the lawsuit. "We're still compiling numbers and that's where we're at right now. I haven't heard from her (Sara Fabrikant) since she contacted me the day of the accident. She told me, 'No one was hurt and that's the most important thing. Everything else will work out.' I'm really hoping that's the case, and they do what's right. I just want to close this chapter and move forward and continue to run my business."

The Fabrikants' insurance carrier, AIG, has yet to reimburse Javarone for the cost of repairing the store.

"It's been a battle with them," she said.

But Javarone is trying to forge ahead, and is already holding events at the store, including a 50 percent sale on backroom merchandise, and is excited to see her clients again.

"A few have already stopped by and they've told me how happy they are to see that the store is open," Javarone said. "It feels good to be back and that people care."

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