Destination shopping: Personal service not novelty at boutiques

When Carol Phillips goes on a buying trip for her local boutique, Whimsy, she is able to pick articles of clothing with specific customers in mind.

Bob Haedt contacts clients' husbands to remind them of their loved ones' upcoming birthdays, armed with suggestions for the perfect gift.

And Jan Esplin, co-owner of Q Clothing, knows to call a certain customer when a new style arrives from the woman's favorite denim line.

Independent, locally owned boutiques offer an experience unlike what shoppers would find at a department store or big-box retailer — and their owners are proud of that.

"It's called personal service," said Haedt, owner of the Salt Lake boutique Great Garb.

Some 80 percent of Great Garb's customers are repeat clients, Haedt said. Not only does the sales staff know their names, they also know their sizes and likes and dislikes.

"We can throw someone in a dressing room and say, 'Try this, try this, try this."'

Phillips, who started as a buyer at Whimsy before buying into the company in 2005, agreed. "It's almost like a little neighborhood meeting base sometimes," she said.

Boutiques cater to women who want to be fashionable and unique. The small shops typically carry a limited amount of any given piece, so women know they will look different than their neighbors.

"I always say, 'If you want something the same as everyone else, go to The Gap,"' said Esplin, who opened Q Clothing with her sister, Annie Quan, last fall.

Business has been steadily increasing at the small shop, which specializes in denim lines not available anywhere else in Salt Lake City.

Whimsy, which now has three stores in Utah, follows a similar plan. Phillips orders pieces in minimal quantities, and when they're gone, they're gone. She does not reorder even the most popular items.

Whimsy originally started as a high-end boutique but soon shifted its focus to more affordable, trendy clothing. The store bills itself as the "chic, cheap boutique" and caters to those who want to be in style without breaking the bank.

"Salt Lake's a tough market," Phillips said. "You have a lot of women who want to be updated but are also money conscious."

Haedt agreed, saying he has found his clientele to be just as fashion-forward as women in other areas, but "they might not be willing to spend as big of bucks as people elsewhere."