I am sad to say that one of my favorite local boutiques is closing. Bloom Butik, located on Bryant Street in downtown Palo Alto will be closing their doors. Of course that means great deals on their unique merchandise as they liquidate all inventory.
Charina, the owner, is a designer and a mother. The simple modern decor of the boutique offered kids a play area, rotating local art on the walls and a welcoming environment to discover yet unknown and up and coming designers. I was a fan of the eclectic mix of men, women, and children's fashions as well as cult products like Kai candles and soaps. I believe that Charina's vision and products were too sophisticated for the average Palo Alto shopper. (Bloom Butik felt like it should be on Hayes St. in the city, that is what I liked about it. Suburbanites like myself need some SF style injected into our lives.) Some claim that the location on Bryant St. is what doomed the beloved shop. A fire, ongoing construction, proximity to the Stanford Mall and high rents seem to be a challenge for all of the new boutiques on Bryant. I wish Charina luck in her new ventures. Rumor is that she may do invite only trunk shows for designers - add me to your list please!
Oh how sad! I can't believe I haven't been in there. And I notice they carried Kenzo kids - so hard to find, sigh.
Posted by: chi | February 27, 2008 at 11:53 PM