Women-owned boutique wins free retail space in Richmond Heights
A woman-owned clothing boutique is getting three months of free rent in The Boulevard shopping center.
The opportunity is through Pop Local , a program by Edwards Realty Company, a property management firm and operator of The Boulevard in Richmond Heights.
Out of over 70 applications, LoveLaunch was selected as the winner of free rent in a 1,380-square-foot brick-and-mortar storefront from October to December and a $3,500 stipend to set up the retail space.
LoveLaunch sells high-end clothes and accessories from international designers and artisans including Alembika, Beltshazzar Jewels, C'est Moi Clothing, Ioanna Kourbela, Loyko and NY 77 Design.
Founder Lia Glynias is inspired by her Greek heritage and "the belief that wearing your Sunday best is a cornerstone of living well," according to a press release.
Glynias called The Boulevard storefront a location beyond her wildest dreams.
"I didn't know if we could survive the pandemic, much less have known that 27 years ago a part-time job at the Galleria would lead to a fashion career that spanned from New York City, to the Prêt-à-Porte in Paris and ultimately back home to the City of Saint Louis," she said in a statement.
Contenders in the PopLocal competition were judged on merit and quality of their application, how the business fits into the current merchandise mix and the potential to stay at The Boulevard after the initial three months. Finalists also interviewed with judges and spoke with the public at the shopping center's Sunday farmers market.
"While it was difficult to narrow down such a talented group of applicants, we are confident that LoveLaunch will thrive as a brick-and-mortar business and complement the Boulevard greatly," said Ramzi Hassan, president of Edwards Realty Company, in a statement.
This is the second time Edwards Reality hosted the Pop Local competition. In 2021, Series Six, a St. Louis-based apparel brand, was chosen out of 75 entrepreneurs. The brand stayed in its original storefront for over two years before relocating to a building that is six times bigger in Lindenwood Park this year.
Other Pop Local programs, which were launched in response to a new retail environment following the COVID-19 pandemic, have been hosted in the Chicago area and Tennessee.
Retail Reporter
