Boutiques

I love stores….but I really, really love boutiques. What do I mean by boutique?  It’s a specialty store that does what it does really well.  It’s “special”.  Hence the label – specialty store.

Boutique is a French word for apothecary.  Back in the day any small shop was considered a boutique, and most stores were. Merchants focused on a single product, like fabric, cheese, apothecaries, etc.. They were stand-alone with a single owner.  They were highly edited to reflect a distinct point of view…the owners.  They were “special”.

Circa 2009, true boutique’s have been obscured by all the stores that think if they call themselves a boutique they’ll suddenly be special.  Not even close!

This blog is about truly special, well edited, beautifully merchandised, independent boutiques.  It’s about boutiques that have a unique, focused point of view.  And it’s about the designers you’ll find in them.  It’s also a place to hookup and learn how to become a boutique, or start a boutique (brand, store or showroom), or just how to be a  better boutique.

Enjoy finding other great Boutiques:

Azaleas
Atticus
Beanie + Cecil Raleigh & Wilmington, NC

Blush Boutique – Kirkwood, MO
by george – Austin, TX
Ceri – Boston, MA
Coco Lily – Avon, CT
Curve

Fred Segal Fun
HattieKrista K – Chicago, IL
Haven – Atlanta, GA

Les Ami – Seattle, WA
LOOC – Boston, MA
McMullen – Oakland, CA
OtteP45 – Chicago, Il
Planet Blue – Malibu, Ca
Pretty Thing Boutique – Beverly Hills, CA

Bliss Boutique – San Clemente, CA
Nicolette – San Francisco, CA
Rowe Boutique
Scarpe – Telluride, CO
Souchi Boutique – Portland, OR

Switch Boutique
Sweet William – Hinsdale, Il
Snappy Turtle

Sugar – Greenwood, SC
Up Stairs On 7th – Washington, DC
Wink
Wendy Foster