ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Tonya "Mama B" Johnson, mother of Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley, has reopened her Mama B Resale Boutique in Allentown.
It marks a new chapter for both her resale business and the football family's growing community impact.
Johnson, who previously operated a store on East Fourth Street in Bethlehem, said the move offers better visibility, more foot traffic, and — importantly — a much shorter commute.
"It's only five minutes from my home," Johnson said at Saturday's soft opening.
Just like the former Bethlehem shop, Mama B Resale Boutique, which opened in April, she sells gently worn women’s, men’s and kids’ clothing.
All of it is all donated by members of the Barkley family, including Tonya Johnson; her husband, Alibay Barkley; Saquon Barkley; his fiancée, Anna Congdon; their children, Jada and Saquon Jr.; and Barkley’s four siblings, Ali, Rashard, Sha-Quona and Aliyah Barkley.
Johnson and Alibay Barkley, of Coplay, have a total of eight grandchildren, which gives Mama B plenty of pieces to sell in the shop's youth display.
Steady crowds, flexible prices
Saquon Barkley, the Whitehall Area High School alum and Super Bowl champion wasn’t at the shop on Sunday — he's got to rest before the Birds' home game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, after all.
But several relatives were in attendance, including his father, Alibay Barkley.
The boutique’s soft opening also welcomed steady crowds, with some familiar with Johnson’s approach to retail: offering new and gently used clothing, shoes and accessories at prices designed to fit the realities of today's cost of living.
"If someone can’t afford a listed price, I adjust it. I go according to how people are living. Everyone deserves to feel good in what they wear.”Tonya Johnson
"I work with people,” Johnson said.
"If someone can’t afford a listed price, I adjust it. I go according to how people are living. Everyone deserves to feel good in what they wear.”
While the boutique stocks affordable everyday items, Johnson also keeps a limited number of high-end designer pieces available upon request.
Inside the neatly arranged store — an upgrade from the Bethlehem location — sunlight pours through the front windows, filling the larger space with an inviting energy and room for more clothing racks.
The clothing will rotate seasonally, Johnson said. On display Saturday were winter coats, hats, boots and other cold-weather gear.
The store also is a treasure trove of clothing and fashion accessories that carry sentimental value to members of the Barkley family.
If not new, Johnson said, the items were worn "only once or twice" and dry-cleaned.
In a previous interview with LehighValleyNews.com, Mama B said it was her children who gave her the idea to open a shop.
And Johnson’s previous retail experience shows in the way she styles mannequins, sets up window displays and prices merchandise.
Continued community impact
With the Barkley family expanding its philanthropic reach, Johnson said relocating her store to Allentown felt like the right move.
It keeps her close to the communities she supports through both business and nonprofit work, she said.
She said her long-term vision includes opening a larger storefront that combines fashion and household goods under one roof.
But for now, she said she’s focused on settling into her new location and providing affordable essentials.
The boutique’s relaunch comes on the heels of the Hurdles for Hope Black-Tie Gala, hosted by the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation, or MASBH, the nonprofit co-founded by Barkley and his mother at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
More than 450 guests attended the sold-out Nov. 1 inaugural event, which raised funds to support underserved youth, women, and families across Pennsylvania, including in the Lehigh Valley.
That work continued with another major effort on Nov. 11. MASBH partnered with Ashley Furniture and The Salvation Army for a “Hope to Dream” event at the Phield House in Philadelphia.
At the event, dozens of children received brand-new beds, mattresses, and bedding — a surprise delivered by the Eagles champ and foundation volunteers.
Johnson, a co-founder of the foundation and a longtime advocate for families in need, said the organization already plans a similar initiative in the Lehigh Valley.
“We know what it’s like to do without,” Johnson said. “If we can help families stay together, provide a safe place to live and keep food on the table, we will.”
Mama B Resale Boutique will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday on the lower level of the Hive Residences at 107 N. 7th St., Suite 110.
For updated hours and available retail, follow @mamabretailboutique on social media.
