Valley Style
Our fashionably hand-tailored special section.
The Right Night Out
Oakwood Mall fashion boutique gives back and looks good doing it
Katie Larson, photos by Katie Larson
Apricot Lane has several items for sale for which part of the proceeds are donated to a charitable organization.
It might sound odd to have a small fashion boutique in the center of a large, box-store mall, but that didn’t stop Kim and Adam Verheyden from going outside the box to open the Apricot Lane Boutique in Oakwood Mall in August. The store showcases a wide array of fashions for most women ages 20 and up, while promising to provide each customer with one-on-one attention as she mixes and matches the fun styles, prints, and colors.
In celebration of Fashion Week, the store offered discounts and prizes as well as celebrated new fall fashions. So what’s in this fall? Ponchos, ponchos, and more ponchos (it’s hard to contain my excitement) in just about every earth tone imaginable! “I really like the poncho because they are versatile,” explained Stacy Klawiter, store manager at the Eau Claire location. “They can be worn as a poncho, as a vest; they can be put over a dress to dress it up; they can also be belted.”
“I really like the poncho because they are versatile. They can be worn as a poncho, as a vest; they can be put over a dress to dress it up; they can also be belted.” – Stacy Klawiter, Apricot Lane Boutique
Not into the poncho-wearing scene? It’s OK, because there is a bit of something for almost everyone, and merchandise is always changing due to the store’s policy of only buying six of everything. “With a few exceptions, once it is gone, it is gone,” Klawiter said.
Supporting those in need on a national level is a regular practice at Apricot Lane. Perhaps some of the best items in the store that emphasize giving back are the funky, wildly inappropriate socks emblazoned with messages that state what most people are thinking, but only a few would actually dare to say. The socks, produced by BlueQ Socks, help support Doctors Without Borders, according to the BlueQ website. In keeping with the philanthropic vibe, Apricot Lane also sells The Giving Keys, a pay-it-forward campaign out of L.A., and 3Strands accessories featuring the Red Seed in support of ending human trafficking throughout the world. Lastly, they sell bracelets and accessories produced by a global company called Good Work(s), in which 25 percent of the proceeds go to building solar panels and clean water systems in 12 rural areas.
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness, the store is throwing a Pink Party on Oct. 15. According to Klawiter, customers will receive 10 percent off of their purchases, and that 10 percent will be passed on to Breast Cancer Awareness charities. Check the Apricot Lane Facebook page for more details on the event.
Struggle with shopping without the support (and brutal honesty) of your closest friends? No worries. Apricot Lane Boutique offers Ladies Night Out fashion parties. The “Hostess” grabs a small group of eager-to-shop women to mix and mingle with the clothes. The party “hostess” – as well as the loyal friends who tell her that the dress looks fabulous on her – receive discounts, can win prizes, and can even eat and enjoy drinks while circulating the store.
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