1) What fall trends are you excited about?

• I am still shopping for fall and holiday 2024 but key trends that are emerging are…
  • Cheetah print, dresses. Tops, accessories 
  • 2 Fers- a layered sweater over a woven top. Vests or a sweater with a shirt underneath. Elan is a vendor that started a lot of that trend last year. 
  • Denim: barrel and wide leg are a key trend 
  • Off-the-shoulder tops, sweaters, and dresses
    

2) What events do you have planned for the fall season? Feel free to tell us about anything fun you have planned for the holidays, too! 

• We focus on a tax-free week in August for back-to-school 
• October is breast cancer awareness month. We plan two Pink Parties and coordinate it with the dates of the parent’s weekend at the Universities in town 
• We celebrate the holidays at our Shop and Stroll in December 

3) How do you stay connected with your customers? How do you communicate with her?

• We communicate with our customers through social media. We have a multi-channel strategy which includes emails, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

4) What is one thing that you do to stay connected and engaged with your employees? 

It is important and valuable to work in the store with your staff and talk with them one-on-one to create dialogue and get feedback about products, best sellers, and missed opportunities. We communicate by text in group chat, have seasonal meetings as a team, and go out for staff dinners to celebrate milestones and accomplishments. 

5) What are some attributes you look for when hiring a stylist/employee for your boutique? 

I look for associates who are: 

• Personable, outgoing, and able to connect with customers
• Girls who represent the brand in a positive manner 
• And it is important for everyone to be responsible and dependable 
• Have an eye and interest for fashion and trends
  

6) What is your “why” behind being an owner of an Apricot Lane Boutique? 

My prior career in fashion required a lot of commuting and traveling and I wanted to have a better work-life balance. I opened my Apricot Lane Boutique over 13 years ago which enabled me to stay in fashion while also allowing me to be more available and spend time with my family and local community. 

7) If you could give a piece of advice to a new owner, maybe someone who is about to open or who has been open less than one year, what would you say? 

1. Don’t give up! You’re not going to hit 100% all of the time, and you will make mistakes, know that not everything that you do is going to be right, be willing to course-correct and it will get better! 
2. Study and learn about your customers vs. imposing your personal points of view. Know your customer, and their taste, and know their style is always evolving, be open to new ideas, and take calculated risks. 
3. Be sure that you have made a realistic financial plan. Some days/months will be good, some will not. 

8) What are some unique things you do to elevate the environment and shopping experience in your boutique? 

With our great products, a combination of name brands such as Free People and ZSupply and trendy LA brands, we merchandise to enhance the product by spending a lot of time focusing on the tables, the features, and the mannequins, every day to grab our customers’ attention when they walk into the store. We keep our store clean and are always reworking the store to be the best and look the best that it can.