Setting Up a Boutique

Boutiques comprise a unique sector of the retail store business.  The range of products that they carry is huge and the theme is usually interesting.  Boutiques are different than retail department stores in that they are generally owned by individuals that have a vision of how the boutique will look.  The nature and feeling of a boutique draws customers in, while new discoveries around each corner keep them there.

Setting up a boutique can be a lot of fun, mainly because you’re allowed to break some rules.  You don’t have to follow a cookie cutter layout for your store.  You have a lot of creative freedom and you can change it up whenever you want.

The key to sticking with a “boutique style” of arrangement is to have “surprises” throughout the store.  You, of course, will want something really attractive towards the front of the store.  If you have an “orderly disorder” style in mind, then you can hide surprise attractions around corners.

You can create nooks and special areas of your store by utilizing back rooms, setting up furniture, or by using partitions and curtains.  Furniture can help you establish a theme.  Is your boutique modern, minimalistic or utilitarian?  Does it have an eclectic, antique or retro feel?  Your furniture, curtains and partitions can help you to communicate what you want customers to remember about your store.

There are other ways to establish mood and image.  Your lighting, garment racks, showcases and displays all should reflect your theme.  Think about every little detail and imagine how you want it to look.  Do your tags reflect your image?  Do your hangers reflect your quality?  Is there anything special about your clothing racks?

When you select your garment racks, don’t just go for what is cheap.  Do some research and you may find out that there are garment racks that fit the theme of your store.  Some have shelves or double bars.  These can save you money by allowing you to merchandise more items on each one.  This also helps you to make the most of a small space.  Vintage garment racks are very popular in boutiques.  These ornate beauties are not expensive and add a lot of character.

Think of your store as a backdrop for your merchandise.  Everything should make you feel a certain way or come to a certain conclusion.  Customers use details to help them formulate opinions about quality, price and overall experience.  Making a good impression can be done as soon as the customer walks in.  Make sure that different types of items are visible as soon as someone walks in.  You want them to be bombarded by images that really express who you are.  A harsh light, cheap shelf, dirty floor or messy display could turn a customer off from the start.  Carefully select the lights, art, furniture, showcase and garment rack style that will continually help you to make the right impression.  These basics will allow you to come up with interesting displays and arrangements that break the mold of merchandising.