AdLib, a women’s clothing store in downtown Asheville, had a pair of surprise customers recently: Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper.
“[Kristin Cooper] came in first on her own, and we did not recognize her,” said Anna Sagel, the owner of AdLib, “and just a short while later he came in and I was like, ‘Wait a minute. You look an awful lot like someone I’m thinking of.’”
Sagel said the Coopers visited her store on the recommendation of one of Kristin Cooper’s friends and that the first lady purchased several outfits. “She was a happy camper,” Sagal said, “and hopefully we’ll have her as a repeat customer now.” Sagel said Gov. Cooper came in with one of his bodyguards and chatted with employees and customers in the store. “We didn’t want to get too heavily into politics, but we shared our appreciation of the work that he’s doing on our behalf,” Sagel said.
State Rep. Susan Fisher, Sagel said, is another regular customer and Sagel learned during Cooper’s visit that Fisher and the current governor used to work out at the same gym together in Raleigh. Sagel said that led to a conversation about the number of women who are running for elected offices across the state. “That’s very exciting,” Sagel said. “As women, we support women of course, and he was very enthusiastic about the prospect of having more women in government.”
Sagel said she and her staff also thanked Kristin Cooper for the work she’s been doing with organizations that work on behalf of women and children. “She’s been very active in that way and we shared how appreciative we were of that work as well,” she said.
Sagel said the governor also purchased a pair of earrings for his wife during his visit for her birthday, which is on July 19th.