BOUNTIFUL BOUTIQUES
Small shops offer unusual
merchandise, personal service
By KATHY SMITH
Photography KIMBERLY DAWN

It used to require a trip to Los Angeles or New York to find trendy or unique clothing. Not anymore. From downtown to Castle Rock, boutiques are plentiful in the Denver metro area.
Whether you're looking for a special-occasion outfit or just a wardrobe boost, Denver's specialty boutiques, owned and operated by these creative, entrepreneurial women, will surely have the perfect piece for you.

We talked to five women owner/operators who have opened boutiques with fashions for women and children.

MARIEL
Larimer Square
Ever since Mariel owner Denise Snyder can remember, she's been into fashion. Unlike most other girls, Snyder played in the sandbox in a dress. In fact, she was awarded the "best dressed" honor by classmates during her school years. It came as no surprise to Snyder's family when she announced her desire to study fashion.

Snyder grew up in the Columbine Country Club area with two sisters and a brother. According to her mother, Joanna Kenny, Snyder was always a "girlie girl". She dressed to the nines from hair to makeup from the time she was a little girl. Joanna says, "She was a character, too. Every day after school she would hold school at home and teach her siblings and friends. So the kids would come home from school and then go to Denise's school."

Working her way through high school at local boutiques, she grew to love the fashion industry. Post graduation, she entered Barnes Business College and received a degree in fashion merchandising. Some 25 years ago, she bought the successful boutique The Better Sweater and slowly changed the merchandise from sweaters to a complete women's clothing boutique.

As the store’s focus evolved, the business grew. Eleven years ago she moved into a new location and changed the name of the store to Mariel, a tribute to her baby daughter. Today, the store features chic and traditional clothing for women aged 20 to 60. According to Snyder, "I want my customers to come into Mariel and know that they will be dressed from head to toe. We are a full-service boutique carrying everything from undergarments to shoes."

Dressing customers is Snyder's forte. "I go to many different markets to find new and unique domestic and European lines," says Snyder. Traveling to many markets allows her to buy romantic trends before they hit the stores. Snyder works with all of her customer's preferences and helps them dress to look their very best. "I like to give my customers their look while offering options outside of their style," she explains.

The bridal section presents a novel approach to shopping for the perfect dress. Snyder sells dresses off the rack, a service that is unheard of in the bridal industry. "Every bridal dress is hand selected. I don't buy collections," she explains. The same is true with the formal wear. She carries an extensive line of dresses suitable for the bride, mother of the bride and bridesmaids. Again, this is another example of the one-stop boutique shopping experience.

Over the years, many celebrities have discovered Mariel. Recently, Marisol Thomas, wife of singer Rob Thomas, shopped at Mariel and told Snyder it is one of her favorite stores. Thomas said when she is in Denver, she never misses the opportunity to stop and shop. The full-service boutique approach works for Snyder and her customers, as she not only dresses them, but also offers styling suggestions on hair and makeup.

This year Snyder is celebrating her 25th year in the boutique business in Larimer Square. She is obviously serving her customer base well. She works annually with the Volunteers of America hosting the membership tea and sponsoring a fashion show. "I like working with this organization because all of the money goes back into our own community," she says.

PINE CREEK CLOTHING CO.
Tamarac Square
www.pinecreekclothing.com
Lisa Figlino is not only proud of her boutique, Pine Creek Clothing Co., but of her native Denver heritage. Growing up in fashionable Bonnie Brae with her sister, Figlino was surrounded by a supportive and encouraging family.

"My parents are very cool and always told me I could do anything I set my mind to," she says. Figlino felt she had an idyllic childhood, one that inspired her creative spirit. Her parents -- Joseph, a retired dentist, now a science teacher, and Sharon a 19-year librarian -- raised their children in a positive atmosphere.
When the girls were young, their father moved the family to a small Pacific island and opened a dental clinic providing care to the Polynesian inhabitants. "We've always been exposed to the benefits of being an
entrepreneur. Our grandfather was a door-to-door fruit salesman," says Figlino.

As with all of our boutique owners, Figlino loved the fashion industry, and as a young girl she experimented with crazy outfits and unique looks. She loved the ever-changing trends in clothing and would clip coupons for clothes. Following graduation from the University of Hawaii with a degree in political science, Figlino returned to Denver and to her passion -- the fashion industry.

She worked for Pine Creek Clothing, which was then owned by Durango businesspeople. For seven years she held every position from clerking to buying. "When the store was for sale, I was ready to purchase it," she continues. "I knew the business inside and out and was confident I could make it work." In early 2004, she purchased the store.

Pine Creek Clothing is doing so well she's opened a second store in quaint Old South Gaylord district. The store is a perfect addition to this boutique-style neighborhood. In both stores you'll see homage to her grandfather, a bowl of green apples that she encourages customers to enjoy.

The ambience of Pine Creek Clothing is comfortable with a focus on honest customer service. "We don't tell you it looks good on you if it doesn't,” says Figlino. “We will find clothes that are flattering to you." She carries an extensive merchandise mix featuring between 100 and 150 designers. "Most of my buying trips are in New York and some in Las Vegas. I look for unique, stylish, stay-in-style quality clothing," she explains. She doesn't want to have her customers see themselves coming and going.

Pine Creek Clothing carries Blue Willi sweaters, a line of 100-percent cotton high-quality sweaters. Canadian-based Tribal Sportswear is a well-made line she merchandises. Two other lines headline the clothing section: Canvas Backs, a line of jackets in various fabrics, and the exclusive line of Robert Kitchen, a collection of separates in such fabrics as washable suede cloth. Figlino carries Brighton accessories and Italian shoes. She has traveled to both Florence and Hong Kong to examine the manufacturing of the products she carries.

When Figlino is not working at the stores, she devotes her time to My Sister's Closet, a charity she created with her sister, Angie, a Cherry Creek School social worker. Angie identifies needy families and they work together to provide support with clothing, food and money.

STUDIO BINI
Golden Triangle, Lowry
www.studiobini.com
It was a fortuitous crossing of paths when Linde Schlumbohm met Sandy Brudos at a design firm in Denver.
Schlumbohm grew up in the Northeast, where she studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. When she moved to Denver in 1984, she took a job as a fashion designer for Ocean Pacific. At the same time she attended CU Boulder to earn a Master’s in Fine Art. Leaving the manufacturer, she freelanced for almost 10 years while actively working in the Denver art community.

The idea of a children's store came about when Schlumbohm had her first child, Max, and had a very difficult time finding cute clothes for him. "I couldn't find anything for him to wear to all of my art functions," she explains. So what does an artsy fashion designer do? Start her own children's clothing line. Thus Studio Bini was launched in 2000 and available online.

The look of her cloths is funky, sassy and retro-style. She wants her clothes to have an attitude. Her daughter, Maya, was born in 2001, and she began wholesaling on the East Coast. "My look was well received, but I gave it up for a 9 to 5," she says. She took a job designing high-end rugs for a local manufacturer. She met Sandy Brudos at that job. Schlumbohm's career in fashion design and art merged well with Brudos' background. Brudos, a graphic artist, spent many years in the retail jewelry business. When the two put their creative minds together, they decided to open a children's boutique with the intent of using local artisans. The store, Studio Bini, opened in 2003, and a second store opened in Lowry in 2004.

Conceptually, the women wanted to introduce customers not only to Schlumbohm's line but to other funky, mid-century styles of children's clothing. "A lot of the designers we use have fabrics reminiscent of the ‘40s and ‘50s," Schlumbohm says. Local artisans include Cosmotot by Laura Amidon and partner Jodi Sokup, who create unusual, colorful children's clothing.

Scott Lyon's company, Pork Chop Show, is a custom line of room décor, such as clocks, mirrors and prints. Studio Bini also sells Colorado-based WABA Fun construction toys. "What sets us apart is our dedication to local and national artisan designers. Our store is great for the boutique gift shopper," Schlumbohm says. They carry a number of other lines, but she is particularly fond of shoes made by See Kai Run in Washington. "This is a great shoe line beautifully made in soft leather. It is a mom-designed product, like most of our lines are," she continues.

When Schlumbohm is not busy working in the stores, she is in her studio working on new designs. She is also working on direct marketing for stay-at-home moms and adding e-commerce on to her Web site. If you can imagine Sclumbohm with spare time, she spends it donating to several local schools and children's charities. She also gives Children's Museum members a 10-percent discount.

BELLY MATERNITY
Cherry Creek North
www.bellymaternity.com
While Janci Frisby was in Los Angeles working at an art gallery, Katy Close was in Boulder racing mountain bikes and going to college. An unlikely scenario for the two to meet and become business partners, but that is the story behind the co-owners of Belly Maternity.

Close hails from Minneapolis and Frisby from Dallas. Close grew up in Minnesota and worked in retail from age 15. She went to school in upstate New York at Hobart and William Smith College, where she studied sociology. Her family vacationed often in Colorado. Following graduation, Close moved to Boulder and continued her college education at CU Boulder and at CSU. "I picked Boulder after college because I preferred the weather, people and lifestyle here," she says.

Frisby, a Dallas native, attended the University of Oklahoma and Santa Monica College, where she studied English literature. While in LA, Frisby worked at MGM and then at Gallery Soolip, where she met her husband. With her first pregnancy, in 1997, she was keenly aware of the lack of contemporary, sophisticated maternity clothes. When her immediate family moved to Colorado, Frisby decided to follow them.

Like Frisby, Close couldn't find appealing maternity clothes when she was pregnant with her first child in 2001. She wanted to start a master's program in landscape architecture but knew the hours would be too overwhelming to finish the degree. "That's when I came up with the idea to open a maternity/kids store," Close says. She searched all over the Boulder area with the intention of expanding and opening a second store in Denver. She couldn't find the right space in Boulder, so she ventured into Cherry Creek North. "I immediately found a great space," she continues.

Belly opened its doors in November 2002. Four months later, Frisby ventured into the store, met Close and they became instant friends and eventual partners. "Janci has a real eye for fashion," says Close, "and we often go to market and look at a board with dozens of items. If Janci points to one item she likes, I know exactly which one it is." They work so well together that they're often known to complete each other's sentences. The store carries modern, eclectic, high-quality clothing for maternity wear and infants to size 8. Close knew that she wanted the store not only to look beautiful but to be comfortable for pregnant women and children. "Customer service is critical in our business. We get to know our customers personally and want them to know we care about them," Close says. She and Frisby love to see families having fun.

Belly attracts many tourists and locals. They received a lot of publicity when Angelina Jolie's baby sported one of their Kingsman T-shirts on national magazines. Following the exposure, the women filled hundreds of orders for the same "pots and pans band" shirt. When the women aren't busy at market, or filling e-commerce orders, they donate time, clothing and money to local charity Bridgeway, which is devoted to teenage or young adult unwed mothers. "We have a children's fashion show each year and donate a percentage of the proceeds to Bridgeway," Close explains.

The business partnership of the two women is entering its third year and is stronger than ever. "I truly believe we have a very rare partnership and balance each other in terms of strengths and weaknesses extremely well," says Close. They have long-range plans for expanding nationally.

ANNIE’S AT THE COURTYARD
Castle Rock
Some 19 years ago Kathryn Gunderson moved to Denver so her husband could work on an advanced degree. They fell in love with the climate, culture and people in Colorado and stayed. Gunderson spent most of her adult life in the fashion industry, working part time in retail and boutique shops in Denver, while she raised a family. "I loved working with fashion, and it gave me access to great clothes," she says. The family moved down south to Castle Rock in the late ‘90s, making working in Denver challenging. One day when she was out driving around, she spotted Annie's, went in, and applied for a position. She went to work for the owner and within a short time was offered an opportunity to buy the store. She talked to her husband, and they agreed this was the perfect business for her to run. She purchased Annie's in 2000. The store was named after the original owner's middle name, which, coincidentally, is Gunderson's middle name as well.

While growing up in Minnesota, Gunderson spent a lot of time in her parents’ floral/gift business. She has always liked the independence of small-business owners and loves that aspect of running her store. "It's a demanding business, but I love it and have a very supportive husband," she says.

Over the years, Gunderson has expanded with new lines and added a formal bridal line. "As the inventory increased, we needed more space, so we moved, and now the store is called Annie's at the Courtyard," she explains. Annie's is a sophisticated, elegant store with moderate to high price points. One of the reasons Annie's is so unusual is the wide range of styles Gunderson carries. She sells everything from soft daytime suits to Western chic. She goes to market in Dallas four times a year to pick the seasonal best.

Her love for fashion is evident in the lines she carries. For daytime wear, she recommends County Clothing or Angel Designs and for evening, Mon Cheri, Tadashi or Alberto Makali. "One of our unique lines is a mother-daughter team called Maya. By hand they make purses that are works of art," she says. The bridal section has dresses for special events, bridesmaids and mothers of the bride plus bridal selections.

The thing Gunderson misses most is home entertaining. She loves having company over and can't entertain like she used to. She has very little spare time, and entertaining requires a lot of running around. "I make up for it by hosting special events at the store," she says. Gunderson donates clothing and money to the homeless and to educational and other charities.

Brandis B
It was a summer trip to Paris that sent Brandis Becky into the fashion world at the age of 13. She still remembers vividly the exquisite boutiques and shopping ventures throughout the Left Bank and the Champs-Elyse′es that imbued her with a life-long dream.

Becky grew up in Denver as the only child of a physician father and nurse mother. She entertained herself often by designing her own clothes, making patterns and sewing items from fabrics she collected. "I would sew together fabric pieces in a design, put a belt on it and call it a skirt," Becky recalls.

Following graduation from high school, she decided to pursue a degree in fashion design and chose the Fashion Institute in Los Angeles, a top school in a fashion-rich city. Post-college, her work included a four-year stint as a junior sportswear designer. In the back of her mind, Becky says, "Owning my own boutique was always my goal. And I knew I wanted to be back in Denver."

At a crossroads in her career, Becky says, " I had to decide if staying in L.A. was an option, or pursuing a degree and starting my own business." As she set her sights on learning the business skills she felt necessary to be a successful businesswoman, Becky made a cross-Atlantic move to London, where she studied at the American University and two years later earned an MBA in international business.

Becky graduated, flew back to Denver and searched for the ideal location for her clothing store. In October 2001, Becky walked into a spot in Cherry Creek North and knew instantly it was a perfect fit for her unique boutique. "It had high ceilings, white walls and a concrete floor with an industrial look," she says. Becky was immediately reminded of the many trendy boutiques she frequented in L.A. and felt it was cutting-edge for existing boutiques around the metro area.

It wasn't long after the opening that she went to new markets seeking small but flourishing clothing lines. Becky's entrepreneurial spirit and risk-averse attitude allowed her to acquire lines unknown to other boutiques in Colorado. "I have the rock and roll look in my store and with the industrial ambience, a trendy new look," Becky says.

Her clothing lines reflect that contemporary, cutting-edge look that she promotes. Becky has always taken chances with up and coming designers. In fact, she has a few lines that started out very small and are now nationally known. "When I happened upon Tylie Malibu, a line of handbags, they were working in their garage -- now they're everywhere," Becky explains. These handbags are uniquely created with rhinestone-studded leather straps, and Brandis B has exclusivity on some of the pieces as a token of appreciation for Becky's loyalty.

Another exclusive line in the Cherry Creek area is Rock & Republic denim. Becky says they started out as a very small line a few years ago, and she stayed with them, as her customers loved the fit.

Becky picks up fun lines when she goes to market in L.A., Las Vegas and semi-annually to New York. One of her favorites is And Cake. This is another start-up line that she's carried from the beginning. "When I first started carrying these shirts, I would get invoices on sticky notes," she recalls. Her customers keep her shopping for collections from Ed Hardy, a line of tattoo-influenced logo shirts. Gwen Stefani's sportswear line, Hara Jaku Lovers, is going really well in the store.

When Becky is not in the store helping customers or traveling to markets, she enjoys volunteering with Volunteers of America, where she holds a board seat. She is the past president of the Fashion Group International and spends a lot of time donating clothes and time by hosting various fashion shows around the metro area.

When does she have time for herself? It's likely when her eight-month-old son and husband need some quality time with her. As a new mom, business owner and volunteer, Becky's time is quite occupied.