Jane Hoffman, the namesake and owner of the high-end consignment shop Jane, credits both of her parents for giving her the spark to open her own business.
Her father, Leo Donovan, was the owner of South Shore Auto Parts in Scituate for more than 50 years, and he exposed her early on to the lifestyle of a business owner. Her mother, Grace, regularly brought her shopping during her childhood, establishing Hoffman’s lifelong love for clothing.
Since graduating from Northeastern University with a degree in communications in 1987, Hoffman has spent most of her career working in clothing retail.
The Hingham resident’s experience includes a stint at Canton-based Reebok International and is highlighted by five years in Los Angeles doing showroom sales, providing wardrobes to television studios and working closely with stars like Janet Jackson, Daryl Hannah and Debra Winger.
Jane opened in late July, and this is Hoffman’s first experience owning her own business. A consignment boutique appealed to her because of consignment shopping’s growth in popularity in the last several years, Hoffman said.
But the 900-square-foot boutique isn’t a place to empty your pajama drawer in exchange for $5. Hoffman, 47, sees Jane as a high-end consignment shop, offering the sorts of garments she might have sold to Hollywood stars, albeit a few years older.