Please also email boutiqueofthemonth@gmail.com if you would like to nominate your favorite boutique for March 2008’s Boutique of the Month.

AG Jeans Boutique prides itself in their customer service and really knowing about the AG brand. Although AG Jeans can also be found in other retailers, such as Saks, the manager of Boston’s boutique, Erica Bliss, says that customers love coming in to the boutique because they really know the product. They are open to their customers and have a comfortable waiting area where customers can sit down, relax and read a magazine or watch TV.  They always greet their customers with a smile and a hello when they walk in the door and the shoppers love the jeans because of the great fit.

Family run Dorothy’s Boutique has been around for over 60 years. Current owner Jon Diamond hopes to maintain the legacy and creates a fun working and shopping environment. He describes the shopping environment as more spirited and wants his shoppers to get their wild side out with his wide array of clothing and accessories.  The customers come back because the staff accommodate them and maintain strong relationships with them. They also offer their long-term customers periodic discounts and special offers.

Many people dream of designing their own handbags. 1154 Lill Studio allows them to make that dream a reality. The company was started in Chicago and has since expanded throughout the United States. They want their customers to feel the gratification of making their own design and being able to have a truly unique one of a kind purse. Walking out, the customers feel like designers with their own individual styles and preferences. They like to have a lot of fun at the boutique and often times have bachelorette, bridal and corporate parties.

Matsu’s mission is to trigger one, if not all of the five senses of the people that come in the store. They do this by creating an environment that evokes the senses through the use of sound, textures, smell and feeling. The environment of the boutique is so important to the owner, Dava Muramatsu, that she is hesitant about selling online. Customers often times walk in to the store not knowing what to expect, however she believes that whatever feeling they would like to portray through their expression they can find in the store. She hopes to break the stereotype of what people are programmed to think and once it’s broken they can be unleashed and live life to the fullest.

Shoppers at Stel are looking for unique pieces that they would not be able to find in other stores in the area. The store’s mission is to provide interesting, unique and affordable clothing to their clients and pride themselves in customer service and building strong customer relationships. They want their shoppers to know that they are down to earth people who want to help them even if that means sending them to another store. They maintain constant communication with the customers and often times send thank you notes or a follow-up email to make sure things fit properly.

The Studio was founded by three women, two of which are sisters and the third a long time friend. They have been in business for 29 years and hope to interpret the crazy world of fashion for regular people and help them find the best styles. Customers love the helpful staff the most. If they don’t have a size in they will go to the end of the earth to get it. They do special ordering for their customers and this has allowed them to retain and build a strong customer base.

Technical sets out to do something different in Boston. Co-owner, John Nichols, noticed that a lot of stores in the area base themselves on price rather on a particular style. So Technical decided to focus on a specific style, street wear, and offer a wide range of price points. Customers love the service that they provide which is sans attitude. The staff enjoys the customers and goes out of their way to hear their story and make them comfortable. They retain their customers by constantly giving them something new to look at and the brands they carry are exclusive to them.

Turtle Boutique is the first of its kind venue devoted to selling designer, artisan and handmade women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories by emerging fashion designers and artists locally and from around the world. They offer high quality products that are wearable but challenge convention allowing people to express themselves within and beyond established fashion trends. They aim to create a community where artists, designers and business leaders can engage with ideas about art and fashion and develop their skills through the workshops offered at their store.