Pastor opens Jazz Me Up shop in West Dundee

The faltering economy drove Jeorge Holmes, a pastor in Elgin, to take a new approach to make ends meet.

Holmes, who serves as director of Highland Christian Academy, opened a boutique at Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee.

Featuring the nickname of his 15-year-old daughter, Jazz Me Up clothing store is a business familiar to Holmes. His late father, Jimmy Holmes, ran menswear stores for more than 40 years in the Fox Valley area.

The idea for the store, which opened about three months ago, developed out of a desire to subsidize Jeorge's income as the pastor at Highland Fellowship Church. Pay cuts and dropping enrollment have been rough on the school, while the church has also been facing difficult times like churches everywhere, Jeorge said.

With the help of his wife, Toni, and daughter, Jasmin, the family opened the shop in West Dundee. Jeorge's nickname for his daughter is Jazz.

The store, catering to teens and women ages 15 to 30, features jeans ranging in price from $49 to $79.

"We're trying to be affordable," Jeorge said.

Boom Boom, Grace in L.A., Dance in Paris and Gloria jeans are included in the mix.

Designer blouses are also highlighted at the shop.

An array of purses ranging in price from $25 to $75 are also featured.

"We're not into the knock-offs," Holmes said, adding that the store did well during the Christmas season and he's looking forward to keeping the business going.

"I've tried my best to diversify and seek to be a part of the solution, doing my part, while seeking to value and hold things together as the academy pushes forward," he said.

The academy, with about 135 students, has been in the community for 26 years.

"I'm trying to lead the way to step out and do something outside the box," he said.

Jeorge, a native of Elgin, learned a great deal about the industry from his father, who at one point ran five stores. Jeorge's brothers continue to run a Jimmy Holmes store in Bourbonnais.

• Kim Mikus covers retail and small business. She welcomes comments at kmikus@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4567.