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Ali Shops Blog

Archive for June 3rd, 2010

The death of appointment shopping?

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

The newest Fun Sisters boutique at 216 S. Main St. in Stillwater is open regular hours, seven days a week. Anyone who started shopping this store at its original location at 42nd and Nicollet in South Minneapolis, knows that schedule indicates a significant shift: Fun Sisters was one of the early “occasional” stores, open just one weekend a month years before it was trendy. The philosophy of occasional stores is to build excitement and condition shoppers to show up and buy on specific dates – or risk missing out. “No one is that desperate for trinkets anymore,” the manager of the Stillwater Fun Sisters told me when I stopped by today – a Thursday, just after noon, when at least a half dozen women were ogling the inexpensive bags and accessories. Interesting. Did the recession kill event shopping? Has being less needy, or at least more self-conscious about wanting stuff, made shoppers less likely to pencil in a special trip to a store open just a couple of days a month? Or are there just so many of these stores now that the thrill has waned? And can being available all the time compensate for the frenzy that limited hours can create? Thanks to Fun Sister’s evolving strategy, we’ll find out.

Beyond the art fair…

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

The Edina Art Fair takes over 50th & France June 4-6, but if you can scoot around the booths, you’ll be among the first to discover the new N’etc, opening Saturday in the former Stephanie’s space at 5005 France Ave. S. – standing alone after more than 20 years with Grethen House. Expect the same, refined assortment of high end shoes and accessories. New partner Veronica Clark, a stylist who has put in time at some of the best boutiques in town, including Grethen House, Bumbershute and Len Druskin, says there’s room to add more to the mix, including select apparel.


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