Brookline women’s clothing shop closing after 40 years

Brookline women’s clothing shop closing after 40 years - The Boston Globe

Posted: 12 Dec 2019 07:49 AM PST

The Studio's owners marked its 40th anniversary in May. But that will be the last such celebration at the women's clothing shop in Brookline's Coolidge Corner. In an e-mail to customers Monday evening, the store's owners said they will hold a clearance sale — starting Friday — in advance of closing the doors for good, citing years of declining business as more customers have turned to online shopping.

"We've celebrated with you, grieved with you, and watched successive generations come of age," owners Sandy Gradman, Marcie Brawer, and Ilene Epstein wrote.

Gradman and Epstein, identical twin sisters, started the shop with Brawer in 1979. The idea, they said, was to create an environment that felt fresh and inviting.

"The Studio is the Cheers of Brookline," Epstein said. "We know your name. And that's wonderful for our generation."

But in recent years, the shop's owners have found that younger customers seem less interested in such personal service, preferring to shop online.

"When we grew up, after you got out of the teen's store you might see your mother's store as a natural progression," Epstein said. "Young people are not shopping at their mother's stores."

"They're not shopping at any stores," Gradman added.

They made changes in an attempt to keep pace with trends, including by adding a gallery space in the back and by mounting social media campaigns. But it wasn't enough. So they considered selling the business.

"Five years ago, we put out one of our newsletters, asking if anybody was interested in the next generation of entrepreneurs," Gradman said. "Five years later, I could see that any younger women who wanted to do what we did would probably never open a retail clothing store."

The women are now considering writing a book about their decades in retail.

"When I was about to start this business, my father gave me sage advice," Brawer said:

"You never go into business with your friends or your family . . . [but] it really is a family business.

"And it's been a wonderful, wonderful ride."

No closing date has been set.

Max Jungreis can be reached at max.jungreis@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MaxJungreis.

Here are Oakland's top 4 women's clothing spots - Hoodline

Posted: 12 Dec 2019 01:53 PM PST

Shopping for women's clothing supplies?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top women's clothing spots around Oakland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're in the market for women's clothing.

Oakland-area buyers tend to spend more in December at retail and wholesale businesses than any other month of the year, according to data on local business transactions from Womply, a provider of CRM and direct response marketing for small businesses. Daily spending at Oakland-area retail and wholesale businesses climbed to $623,185 for the metro area in December of last year, 15% higher than the average for the rest of the year.

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

1. Hello Vintage

First on the list is Hello Vintage. Located at 5488 College Ave. (between Lawton and Taft avenues) in Rockridge, the used, vintage and consignment business is the highest-rated women's clothing spot in Oakland, boasting five stars out of 48 reviews on Yelp.

2. Maple Street Denim

Piedmont Avenue's Maple Street Denim, located at 4266 Piedmont Ave. (between Glenwood and Echo avenues), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the women's clothing spot five stars out of 48 reviews.

3. Viscera

Check out Viscera, which has earned five stars out of 28 reviews on Yelp. You can find the women's clothing joint, which offers accessories and more, at 1542 Broadway. (between 17th Street and Telegraph Avenue).

4. Oaklandish

Finally, there's Oaklandish, a local favorite with four stars out of 205 reviews. Stop by 1444 Broadway (between Telegraph Avenue and 15th Street) to hit up the women's clothing location next time the urge strikes.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.