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FeedThe District: Westward Expansion
Two Central West End boutiques sprout along Maryland Avenue.
Boutique 83
4658 Maryland,
314-361-4700,
boutique83.com
With Boutique 83, Chad Roundtree (right) and Perchelle O’Boyle are bringing the West Coast to the West End. In June, the pair opened the two-story shop with the hope of creating a centrally located reincarnation of Perchelle, the Washington Avenue boutique that shuttered last year.
“Before picking the location, we asked area business owners how things were going,” recalls Roundtree. “They said it stayed consistent during the recession.”
Nestled by Starbucks on Maryland Avenue, a neon-green door opens into an HGTV-inspired space, where glossy white walls set off the selection’s vibrant colors. Upstairs are men’s and women’s lines from Ben Sherman, Byron Lars, and Howe. Jewelry, handbags, watches, suits, and ties are on display downstairs.
“We have very unique pieces and designers because of our ties to New York and L.A.,” says Roundtree. “We spend a lot of time on the West Coast looking for up-and-coming designers.”
Jewel-encrusted pieces from L.A. designer Meghan Fabulous and celeb favorite Nicole Miller offer a mix of glitz and glam. Along with the $100 to $300 selection, Boutique 83 touts a sale rack with healthy markdowns.
Moris Fashions
26 Maryland Plaza,
314-361-6800,
morisfashions.com
After countless requests from wives and girlfriends of Moris Fashions’ clien-tele, the owners of the high-end men’s boutique decided to expand. Now what do the owners tell shoppers? “We point them to our separate women’s boutique, just one door over,” says co-owner Brian Smith (below).
The store opened in May. “We saw it as the perfect opportunity to get back in when things are going uphill,” he adds.
The 900-square-foot space mirrors the men’s store, which has attracted the likes of John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan. While the shops share a similar objective—to make transitional office-to-evening wear a cinch—the women’s portion radiates a French-boutique feel, with black-and-white paisley prints on dressing-room curtains, lustrous chandeliers, and wooden floors.
The shop carries refined lines like Theory and Catherine Malandrino, found elsewhere only at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Pristine silver racks hold dresses from Romanian designer Yoana Baraschi, figure-flattering tops from Lilla P, and designs from BCBGMAXAZRIA, Elie Tahari,
and Hugo Boss. With such a lavish selection, don’t plan on leaving without spending $100 or more.
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