Lexington, KY - Bluetique Cheap Chic, a brand new women's clothing and accessory store, opened its doors at the corner Woodland Avenue and Maxwell Street in early February.
The boutique is geared toward any woman interested in style, said Elizabeth Shipley, the store's coordinating manager and primary buyer. "We get the sorority girls, the high schoolers, and even the girls' moms who come in here to get an outfit for the weekend," she said.
The shop carries everything from party dresses to scarves to brightly colored t-shirts. On a large table at the center of the store sits a large collection of accessories -
one of the store's more popular products.
Shipley says the store is unique to Lexington, given the price range of the store's merchandise - the high end of the store's pricing spectrum is $70, and most items are around the $30 mark. She added that the experience has been a pleasure for everyone involved in the opening and operation of Bluetique. "It's just been a lot of fun. It's so rewarding to start something from scratch," she said.
"The best part," she continued, "is helping someone find an outfit they feel good in. It's also satisfying to know we are ordering what people want and are succeeding in our goal." Part of Shipley's job is to stay current on trends and what is in fashion. Because she has two daughters who are 16 and 21, keeping up on style comes easy for her.
Being on the corner of Woodland and Maxwell has helped the store maintain steady business throughout the day. Bluetique did not appear on that corner overnight, however. "We've been talking about this store for about two years," Shipley said. She and her partners had to wait for several things to fall into place before moving forward with the retail store, including a location. One of the main factors in waiting so long for the right place to open was Shipley's desire to have the shop as close to the University of Kentucky as possible. According to her, being two blocks away from campus has been a big reason for the store's initial popularity.
"We've been so pleasantly surprised at the amount of traffic that we've had," she said. "We assumed it would be gradual, but it's just been crazy ever since we opened."
Shipley, who has been working in retail for eight years, is also the buyer for Worlds Apart, which has locations on East High Street and in Lexington Green. "It's a totally different experience buying for Bluetique than it is for Worlds Apart, because of the difference in price points," she said.
Shipley and her partners regularly travel to find new items for the store. "We get stuff from L.A. and Atlanta, mostly. Finding stuff at the right price point is a challenge."