Jennifer Taylor (left), owner and founder of Tay T's on State Avenue, and employee Amber Fain are joined by Taylor's two sons Lowen and Liam.

Jennifer Taylor has always had a knack for finding good deals. Even as a child, Taylor picked up her grandfather's collecting habit as well as his eye for a bargain. She learned to recognize genuine finds, and how to turn those treasures into gold through shrewd sales techniques.

As she entered the workforce, Taylor began to build her business management skills with a focus on fashion. For eight years, the Marysville woman worked at Swanee's, a retail discount clothing chain, eventually being promoted to the buyer's position for three locations.

From there, she transitioned into an accounting position with a construction company and even worked for a mortgage company for a few years. All the experiences helped strengthen her skills while convincing her to take more control of her own career destiny.

"One thing after another kind of fell into place," said Taylor, "and led me to open my own fashion business."

On the opening day of this year's Strawberry Festival, Taylor launched Tay T's, a shop that sells new retail fashions for men, juniors, women and children at discount prices, at 917 State Avenue in Marysville.

"We're offering high fashion at low prices," said the energetic young mother. "Our selections are unique and fun, in sizes from small to 3X for women and small to 4X for men."

One of the exclusive product lines at Tay T's is a collection of one-of-a-kind trucker hats, designed by Taylor's high school friend Dan Gregory. Gregory's hand-drawn designs are marketed by the 1976 company under the label of Mr. Dan. The popular graffiti-style hats have been a staple at Seattle's Pike Place Market, and were previously carried at The Unknown, a Marysville skateboard shop that closed a couple of years ago.

Tay T's inventory includes Lee and Wrangler brands alongside styles by new designers. The bargains are neatly arranged in the 600-square-foot space, with careful attention to combining eye-catching displays with room to navigate.

Amber Fain works part-time at the shop, and Taylor's two young boys, Lowen and Liam, can often be found playing among the clothing racks. It's a friendly, comfortable shopping experience, complemented by vintage 8-track recordings piped through one of Taylor's favorite finds, a 1970s music center with colored lights that bounce to the rhythm of the songs.

In addition to the casual clothing styles, Tay T's offers handmade and estate jewelry, basics like socks and T-shirts, and other accessories.

Although the State Avenue location is still new, the enthusiastic woman is already planning for expansion.

"I'd like to open another store pretty quickly," she said.

"I wanted to control my own destiny, and be able to offer a job or two for people who need a few hours of work a week to help their income," said Taylor. "Times are tough, and if we work together locally we can pull through it."