Trendy, Not Spendy
Love the styles you can find at a boutique, but don’t love the prices? Neither do the owners of clothing store fab’rik.
The West Des Moines shop, which has three original locations in Atlanta, only carries items under $100 (excluding jeans). The Jordan Creek Town Center location was built in 2006 after the current owner saw that the Des Moines area didn’t have any designer boutiques offering lower price points.
“The only shopping options at the time were the mall or high-end boutiques,” assistant manager Alicia Eickstaedt says.
Eickstaedt, 28, of West Des Moines, started working for the store when it opened. The Graceland University graduate has grown to love the atmosphere and the customers who are drawn in by fab’rik’s fashion philosophy. She believes that the store has become so successful because it provides attractive clothing for reasonable prices.
“I think we are a store that has become known for amazing customer service and quality fashions that you can’t obtain from a chain,” she says.
The store, which is marketed toward women 18-45 years old, has styles that are hip and trendy but also unique, according to Eickstaedt. They don’t currently have men’s clothing, but carry a range of women’s products including jeans, tops, coats, leggings, jewelry, handbags and shoes.
Some of their most popular brands are Lush, Enti, Big Buddha Bags, D’Closet and Tulle. Their denim lines range from $60-$220, but the rest of their clothing follows their motto and is under the $100 price point.
Low prices aren’t the only thing fab’rik has to offer. Shoppers are offered complimentary drinks and can even register for “Rockstar Parties.” Customers can sign up to reserve the store and receive 20 percent off any purchase. The store also gives discounts to those who reuse fab’rik’s logo shopping bags and send out e-mails when new merchandise arrives.
As one of the Des Moines area’s newest boutiques, fab’rik tries to stay ahead of its competition by staying on top of future trends. The store anticipates motorcycle jackets, leggings with detail and fabrics with architectural influences will be big hits with customers in the upcoming seasons.
Even with the competition from other boutiques and the rapid growth of West Des Moines, Eickstaedt believes that fab’rik is unique enough to keep customers coming back for more.
“I think we are the cutting edge of fashion without compromising quality,” she says. “We offer what will be in style and what currently is while always allowing an extra touch of class and elegance.”
Denim Dreams
Blond Genius owner Erin Brincks decided to take a chance when she quit her job in human resources at Lands’ End and opened her own boutique.
During her senior year at the University of Northern Iowa, the marketing major accepted an internship with the corporate headquarters for Lands’ End in Dodgeville, Wisc. After graduating in 2003, Brincks worked for the company full time, managing internal communications and events.
Although she enjoyed her job, her heart was set on working more in-depth with fashion and marketing. After numerous unsuccessful tries at breaking into the merchandising aspect of the business, Brincks knew that she had to take a risk to reach her goals.
“I didn’t need a senior vice president at Lands’ End to tell me whether I would be a fit for merchandising. I knew [I was],” she says. “I knew I had the passion and the drive to follow my dreams.”
After resigning, Brincks started looking for a place to set up shop. She chose a strip mall near the Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines. The area seemed perfect, and the store opened in 2005 on her 25th birthday.
The name of the store is a nod to Brincks’ nickname in college. After giving a presentation in a class, her professor told her she didn’t sound professional and was ditzy. A coworker told her the professor just didn’t understand she was a “Blond Genius.” She now uses the term to describe “intelligent, fun women.”
Brincks juggles a number of positions as the owner of the boutique. She is the buyer, web developer, marketing director and customer service representative.
“As the owner of a small business, you wear all hats,” she says. “But I have a great team of employees who help share the load.”
As the store’s buyer, Brinck travels to Los Angeles and New York City to meet with representatives to determine what will be the biggest hits with her customers.
“I’m looking for what my customers are asking for,” she says. “It’s that simple.”
Blond Genius sells a wide range of clothing from contemporary designers like Juicy Couture, C&C California, French Connection, Splendid and Michael Stars. The store also has an extensive denim bar with more than 140 styles and provides custom tailoring. The most popular denim brands sold at the store are True Religion, Joe’s Jeans, AG, 7 for all Mankind, Rock & Republic and Citizens of Humanity.
Tops, jewelry, jackets and shoes are also sold at the store. Denim prices range from $135-$320 and apparel ranges anywhere from $50-$200.
Brincks has seen what fall and winter trends will be busy stocking her store. As usual, jeans are a wardrobe staple, but some old style friends are making a comeback. Get ready for everything “boyfriend” and sequins. Lots and lots of sequins.