By Lauri Lee
Northside Economic Development Coalition

When you see the closed sign on Altered States Alterations at the Northside TownCenter, know that this is an entrepreneurial success story for Darlene Shell, the owner and operator for 22 years of this small, one-woman business on the Northside. 

Shell’s career involved working for Dayton-Hudson-Marshall Fields in LaCrosse; Eau Claire; Columbus, Ohio; and at Mayfair in Milwaukee. In 1997, she wanted to start her own alterations business and own a home. She quit her job, took a month to write a business plan and moved to the Northside. She found a home on North Sherman Avenue where she could operate the business while keeping overhead low. After four years, she was bursting at the seams (pun intended), and moved seven blocks to the nearby Northside TownCenter into a 700 square foot space down the hall from Serenity Salon. When her current location at 1853 Northport Drive opened up five years later, she was ready to lease the larger space. 

“I’ve enjoyed working with all of my customers over the years and had a difficult time contemplating retirement. I worried about  who was going to take care of them. One day it became clear to me that they’d all find someone to take my place,” said Shell. “Afterall, I have to catch up on my life that I was too busy to pay attention to for so many years. I want to work on my bucket list, travel across the U.S. and volunteer for nonprofits. Thank you to all of my customers over the years, I’m going to miss you.” 

If you see Darlene volunteering at area nonprofits, stop and say hi and congratulate her on a well-earned retirement.