Apricot Lane on Good Morning Alaska! May 13, 2013 2:43 PM Posted in Recent News| 0 Replies
AL Anniversary Boise! May 2, 2013 3:55 PM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013
APRICOT LANE'S 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
On Saturday, I was invited to help Apricot Lane in Boise celebrate their one-year
anniversary! I chatted with customers over cake and turkey wraps, and enjoyed
a few hours of shopping!
The manager, Kelly (in the photo above), is just the sweetest person. We had a
wonderful time hanging out and greeting people. What a fun day!
The two ladies above are both Boise bloggers who stopped by to say hi
and meet me! Tonya (StyleSpyGirl) is on the left, and Yuli (Yuli Conversations)
is on the right. It was so great getting to know them!
The day will soon come for mass merchants where checkout counters will be eliminated. Once RFID is fully implemented, the customer will be able to push the shopping cart through an RFID reader station, which will instantaneously total the items and show the results on a screen. The customer, who has an imbedded RFID chip in her debit or credit card (perhaps some day in the near future, in her body), will push a button to authorize the purchase, and off she goes.
Point the Way
We will also soon reach the day when consumers, while shopping in a store, can point their smartphones at any item to read the RFID chip embedded in the product and link directly to an information web page, which will tell the potential buyer more about the item. If the customer wants to ask questions, he or she will touch a button on the screen of the smartphone and immediately be transferred to the call center of the supplier where trained operators will answer inquiries via text or voice, depending on the consumer’s preference. If the customer wishes to purchase the item, she either puts it in her physical shopping cart, or if she wants it delivered, she puts it in her virtual shopping cart. Should the item be out of stock at the physical location, it will be seamlessly ordered and delivered. The virtual connection will also allow her to see colors and sizes not carried physically at the location and have her selection sent directly to the home. All of this can easily occur without speaking to a single sales associate.
Here’s how it will work. Virtual interconnectivity will allow the customer to bargain in store or online without talking to a human being. She reads the RFID tag on the shelf with her smartphone and the price appears on her screen. The price is $19.95. She touches a button or speaks, instructing her smartphone that she’ll pay $17.95. This “offer” goes to the seller whose artificial intelligence computing system will either authorize the markdown or counteroffer, at say $18.95. ll of this occurs in nanoseconds without inconveniencing the customer who can easily continue to comparison shop at competitive retail outlets on her smartphone. We will have truly returned to the days of the street bazaar where buyers and sellers haggle over every price. The only difference will be that the buyer is interacting with machines representing the sellers.
The Shape of the Future
In this future world, big-box, multi-brand retailers will be simply real estate operators who will lease shelf space without owning inventory. These store-location operators will provide a national umbrella brand for the store, as well as a variety of in-store services (displays, sampling, demonstrations, restocking), which suppliers that are leasing shelf space can purchase à la carte. All inventory will be owned by the suppliers who will determine how much inventory to stock and when to replenish. Shifting ownership of inventory to suppliers also makes them responsible for pilferage and damage costs. Physical stores will become showrooms where consumers can touch, hold, and try out products before making the purchase either in the location or on the Internet. These new mass merchant showrooms may evolve into the updated version of catalog showrooms (Best, Service Merchandise), which died in the late 1980s.
Specialty stores will be closer to today’s retail model in the new world order, each fighting to capture a niche through lifestyle branding and the level of customer service offered. The specialty retailer will own the brand, and carry unique products designed in collaboration with its supply chain, and it will own the inventory. Therefore, unlike the big-box retailers, specialty retailers will not be able to pass inventory carrying costs and obsolescence back on the suppliers. To be economically viable, these specialty retailers will need to be quick and nimble in their product line and inventory management, while offering an appropriate mix of human and virtual support to sell product and sustain the consumer relationship.
Real Estate in the Digital Age
As more transactions occur via the Internet, the high operating overhead to support a declining number of transactions in physical stores will result in closure of peripheral low-volume stores. It will also induce retailers to execute “showcase” locations, which may lose money, but will offer the customer the “touch and feel” experience critical to reinforcing the brand’s lifestyle image. As the number of specialty retail outlets shrink, more C and B mall and street locations will rapidly decline and close. Empty strips and malls littering the landscape will be either repurposed by developers or torn down as the nation dramatically reduces the number of retail outlets in response growth of Internet and television shopping.
The cost-driven abandonment of unprofitable stores by national retail brands will have a disproportionate impact on small towns and outer suburbs of metropolitan areas. The limited presence of national retailers may permit a renaissance of the small town entrepreneurial merchant whose keen eye for product and intuitive sense of local customer taste allows him/her to shop globally via the Internet to buy unique product for one or two local store locations.
Franchise Models
At least one national specialty retail brand, Apricot Lane, seems to be positioned for a local-level, entrepreneur-driven retailing future by offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to operate franchised individual retail locations. The franchise concept allows the local entrepreneur the ability to leverage the scale and resources of a large national organization while maintaining the flexibility and assortment uniqueness of a local individual operator.
For the national organization that owns a branded retail concept, this franchise business model is attractive because the inventory, payroll, and working capital costs are financed by the individual store operators. Franchisees should be able to operate in a given location at a lower breakeven point than a national chain. If a store fails, it is the franchise operator who loses the investment, not the national retailer. Another advantage of the franchise is a well-trained and motivated owner, with a major financial stake in the business, driven to maximize the sales potential of a specific location (as opposed to a hired manager and uninspired part-time store associate). On the downside, managing the brand experience is much more difficult for the corporate office when entrepreneurial independent operators are given the flexibility to define assortments, determine inventory investment, directly conduct their own marketing campaigns, and manage the consumer experience in store. This brand management challenge is the likely reason franchising is rare, and usually unsuccessful, in the fashion retail space.
Enabled by today’s technology, an e-commerce model can be envisioned where the consumer goes to a website operated by the local franchise store, which includes product specific to that store, but seamlessly offers the customer the full range of product available on the national website. Local stores can maintain frequent and direct communication with local customers through social networking and email, leveraging the technology resources of the national brand owner. With this model, consumer intimacy is maintained and nurtured instead of being abandoned as the national brand retreats from specific locations or entire markets.
The history of retailing suggests that when a retailer begins a significant retrenchment, it enters a death spiral from which recovery is rare. Shifting to a franchise or partial franchise operation is a model that may allow existing national specialty retailers, coping with rapidly shifting market dynamics and financial pressure, to reduce asset investment and maintain a broad national footprint of physical locations. And even better, it injects some good old-fashioned American entrepreneurial spirit into their organizations and product assortments.
Alpha Astra also is working on a third store in the Triangle area at Durham’s The Streets at Southpoint, which is slated to open in June. It has two stores in that market in Raleigh’s North Hills Shopping Center and in Cary Towne Center Mall.
Apricot Lane, a specialty gift franchise that sells branded fashion, jewelery and accessories, is a division of Vacaville, Calif.-based Country Visions Inc.
Alison Angel covers retail and restaurants, works on special report sections and related events and handles People on the Move and other briefs for the Charlotte Business Journal.
AL Closer to 100 Store National Presence March 28, 2013 12:06 PM
Apricot Lane Franchise Inches Closer to 100 Store National Presence - West Coast, Celebrity-Inspired Boutiques Stay Ahead of Trends in Stores and with Franchisees
Apricot Lane, a leading retail franchise specializing in women’s apparel, accessories and gift items announced today its projected growth for the remaining three quarters of the year. Currently with 80 stores operating in 35 states across the country, Apricot Lane already has 22 new franchisees committed to open in 2013 – and it’s still just the first quarter.
Apricot Lane Boutique
“Our lead flow of new franchisees has never been stronger and existing franchisees are expanding. These are all healthy indicators in franchising which is fueling our growth,” explained Ken Petersen founder and CEO of the Apricot Lane franchise.
Vacaville, CA (PRWEB) March 28, 2013
The spring fashion season always helps increase awareness of the Apricot Lane brand as more people are out and about shopping or perhaps searching for their next business opportunity. It’s virtually impossible to walk into an Apricot Lane, see the incredible merchandise paired with the pricing and friendly faces and not instantly want to be part of the family.
The celebrity-inspired boutique franchise brings west coast styles and designer labels to the convenience of neighborhoods across the country by offering a very unique franchise system and recently was ranked #252 in Entrepreneur Magazines’ annual Franchise 500 issue. The biggest factor setting Apricot Laneapart from other franchises is flexibility, something not often associated with franchising.
“We found that by letting franchisees try new things, it only ended up benefiting our entire company and has helped to increase our growth.” explained Ken Petersen, founder and CEO. Petersen founded Apricot Lane along with Tom Brady, both retired firefighters turned fashion gurus. After creating an Apricot Lane store just a few years ago, they began building the company along with Scott Jacobs from the headquarters in Vacaville, CA.
Apricot Lane has experienced exponential growth each year and with the growth of the stores throughout the country, is able to add to the growth of the economy by encouraging people to shop for the latest trends for affordable prices while providing over 700 jobs in the retail industry. Out of those positions, 180 of them were created just within this year alone. Some franchisees have embraced the system so much that they have opened numerous stores in their own neighborhoods, increasing jobs in their local community. In addition, to encourage economic growth while providing accessibility to its shoppers, Apricot Lane launched their shopping website, Apricot Lane Boutique Online, in November, 2012 resulting in jobs for warehouse fulfillment, receiving and more.
“Our lead flow of new franchisees has never been stronger and existing franchisees are expanding. These are all healthy indicators in franchising which is fueling our growth,” explained Petersen. In 2012 Apricot Lane showed a 9% comparative sales increase over 2011 with a record 16 consecutive months of increases.
“By providing franchisees with the support and benefits of a large corporate retail system yet still allowing each store owner the flexibility to make their own decisions regarding merchandise selection and more, they are getting the best of both worlds,” continued Petersen. “We are there with the technological systems in place for effective communications with franchisees, customers and staff and can hold their hand as much or as little as a store owner desires.”
Recently Apricot Lane partnered with Yiftee, a gifting app enabling users to send gifts on the go for simple everyday thank you’s! By aligning with social media trends such as Yiftee, Apricot Lane is able to stay on top of current trends in the stores and continues to grow its customer database by interfacing with them on various platforms outside of the stores.
Apricot Lane is part of the popular Country Visions, Inc. franchise, and specializes in unique, one-of-a-kind items and brand names known for their quality and fashionable style trends. The impressive collection of fashion apparel, jewelry, handbags and accessories allows customers to create looks seen on the runway and in the pages of any fashion magazine. The company opened the first store in 2007 and has been featured in the pages of national magazines, TV shows, newspapers and more. For more information visit http://www.apricotlaneusa.com.
Hi everyone! It’s Stacey D from STACEY DERSHEM PHOTOGRAPHY again, and I’m VERY excited to bring you a new twist on Eye on Fashion. I wanted to see if it was possible to put together the “Ultimate Senior Photoshoot Wardrobe” all in one store. I enlisted the help of Kami Murphy, owner of APRICOT LANE BOUTIQUE IN WICHITA, KANSAS. I asked Kami to put together a Senior Photoshoot wardrobe consisting of three outfits: Casual, Classic/Dressy, and Trendy. I absolutely LOVED what she and her team came up with! One of Kami’s team members, the lovely Ms Avery, modeled the wardrobe selections for us:
Outfit 1 Casual
Colored denim continues to be one of the hottest trends this Spring, according to Kami. The ladies paired the deep coral skinny jean here with a top in everyone’s favorite color – mint! This is a cute and lively take on the “Casual” outfit. We’re off to a great start!
Outfit 2 – Classic/Dressy
I love what the girls did here – showing this fun patterned dress with the cropped cream jacket to give us a dressy but on-trend look. Kami advises that low heels and flat sandals with dresses are definitely “In” this season. I love how the flat sandal paired with the more formal look gives the whole outfit an overall youthful appearance.
Outfit 3 - Trendy
In our Trendy outfit, the ladies are showing us two hot looks – the ombre coloring on Avery’s dress, and the short distressed denim jacket. Kami says that the denim jackets are flying out of the store, and we all know how popular the ombre has been!
Other Fashion Trends
While Avery was changing outfits, I had an opportunity to ask Kami to share some more Spring Fashion highlights with us:
What’s Hot in Jewelry? Stacking and Gold!
Kami tells us that stacks of bracelets continue to be popular, and the best way to do it is - “almost to the point of excess”! You can see how the girls have added bangle stacks on both of Avery’s arms in this outfit. Take a look back on the ombre/trendy outfit, and you’ll see they’ve done the same thing there – mixing bracelet colors and metals. Speaking of metals, Kami says that GOLD is the hot metal for Spring.
What’s the very hottest item in the store? The denim/lace short!
I absolutely LOVE these denim and lace shorts, and Kami says I’m definitely not alone – this is THE “Must-Have” item for Spring.
Fun New Color Combinations? Experiment!
This color combo caught my eye right away – I love how they’re showing mint with purple in this fun look. Don’t be afraid to experiment! The other thing the store is seeing color-wise is LOTS of neon! They were showing it on many different pieces, from neon stripes on cream sweaters, to neon accents woven into patterned blouses. Such a fresh, eye-catching look!
So there you have it, my fellow couture gurus! It is DEFINITELY possible to put together your Senior Photoshoot Wardrobe all in one store, but still achieve different looks. I want to express my sincere thanks to Avery and Kami (pictured below) for showing us how to build the looks with style and flair.
I’ll see you all next time! I’d love for you to stop by and say Hi on FACEBOOK! I’m thinking about doing this challenge with other stores – drop by and let me know who you’d like to see!
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A Charlotte area boutique is helping keep ladies of all ages on point with the latest fashion styles and trends. Rising's Christine Noël talks with Brittany Cooper from Apricot Lane Boutique about the new store and all the things you'll find there!
Apricot Lane's revamped Birkdale Village store opened on March 1. (Courtesy of George and Carol Toulas)
HUNTERSVILLE – Apricot Lane, a national retail boutique, is extending its business scope in the Charlotte market.
Apricot Lane opened its revamped Huntersville store on March 1 in Birkdale Village. The Huntersville store’s franchise ownership group, Alpha Astra, LLC, also has stores in Raleigh and Cary.
Alpha Astra also plans to open two Apricot Lane stores in Charlotte in the near future, according to a release.
Real estate work is ongoing for the two Charlotte sites.
“Charlotte is an impressive market for its business, entertainment, cultural and family appeal, and it’s an area we planned to develop since we started this venture,” said franchise co-owner George Toulas in a release.
“The old store in Huntersville was individually owned and based on earlier corporate ideals. Shoppers who come by the new boutique … will get an entirely different experience very similar to what we’re doing in the Triangle. It’s all about fashion-forward styles and personal assistance. We cannot wait for people in Charlotte to see the new Apricot Lane in all of our upcoming locations.”
Apricot Lane features celebrity-inspired fashions and designer labels. Visitwww.facebook.com/ApricotLaneCharlotte for more updates on Charlotte’s Apricot Lane expansion.
Spring into fashion at Apricot Lane March 5, 2013 7:46 PM
Spring into fashion at Apricot Lane
Apricot Lane Boutique Destin is located at 4339 Legendary Drive in Destin. Call (850) 424-3915, visit www.apricotlanedestin.com or follow them on Facebook for more information.
Springtime means fun, flirty dresses, flip flops and fashions to take anyone’s attire on an unforgettable journey — whether you enjoy a “Staycation” or travel to far away lands.
Women looking to keep their closets in style and their budgets aligned are in luck at Apricot Lane in Destin Commons as trends from 2012 are still going strong! Peter Pan collars and feminine fabrics such as lace and dainty prints make for cute looks while leather is still present in softer hues for spring.
Color is key again this spring. Bright heels and accessories add the pop of color women need to brighten their morning. Denim remains a staple but it’s not just for jeans — it’s been transformed into shirts, dresses and so much more! Simple styles also stem from white shirts — button down to T. Pair it with an oversized clutch and whether you are in jeans or office attire, your whites will help to keep you bright.
Flaunt one of these looks and adapt it to fit your individual style.
•Black & White — Go for Mod Squad and go graphic palette head to toe.
•Printed dresses where accessories needed are minimal.
•Boxy bags add dimension to any outfit
•Pointy flats are sure to put a spring in your step
•Ruffles are a must and girls have trouble saying no — especially when they pop up in the right spot. They add flair to everyone!
•Metallics never go out of style, especially when paired with an all white ensemble for a chic feel or vibrant colors. With sun kissed faces they will make anyone shine!
•Sheer is here like never before! Peekaboo panels on everything from tank tops to dresses and skirts. This look can add spunk to any outfit.
For anyone interested in pieces that last beyond just a one-time wear, accessories are a must and help make a statement with any outfit. This season, jewelry appears in standout shapes including sharp edges and various metals, stones and organic materials incorporated into the design. The daring divas of spring will want to rock the more edgy looks and the more reserved fashionistas will be ecstatic with their choices of maxis, shift and baby-doll dresses.
Apricot Lane Destin features premium denim brands such as Big Star, Blank NYC, Mavi, LA Idol and Grace. Other hot brands available to shoppers include Vintage Havana, Surf Gypsy, Ocean Drive, Elan and Black Sheep. And don’t forget about the stylish accessory lines including Micky London, D&Y, Olive and Pique, Melie Bianco, Vieta Handbags, Big Bhuddha Handbags, Judson & Co. and Natural Life.
Don’t forget to schedule a girls night out at Apricot Lane Destin this spring! Invite friends and family to shop with you for new spring styles and enjoy 20 percent off the entire store!
The party host will also receive an additional 50 percent off any one item. If you are springing into action in the new year, Apricot Lane is also happy to donate a portion of the proceeds during a shopping party to a charity of your choice.
You can find everything you need — and more — at Apricot Lane Destin Commons! Visit them this spring — your closet depends on it!
DESTIN — The newest shopping boutique at Destin Commons has something for everyone.
Apricot Lane Boutique opened up mid-November and owner Debbie Johnson says business has been booming since the start with their offerings of fashionable women‘s clothing and accessories.
"Every woman has that fun, fearless and fashion-ble side to them and we cater to that," Johnson said. "Whether its a summer day outfit, a spring night outfit, or a winter work outfit we have it.
"When someone walks into the store I want there to be something for each of them."
There are 90 current and planned Apricot Lane stores in 28 States and plans to open 30 to 40 stores per year.
Johnson said after researching the retail market, she knew Apricot Lane was the right way to go.
"I absolutely love it," said the former Alabama Guard woman. "The military really molded me into being a person who gives back to the community and that‘s what I want to do with this store."
The franchise allows owners to make each store unique to the area and the owners.
"We have a lot of beach-type outfits and we have a lot of mission-minded jewelry that‘s unique to our store," Johnson said. "Apricot Lane is really good about letting you be an individual."
Some of her distinct store features include a "man corner" for husbands and boyfriends to wait in with comfortable seating, manly magazines and a television with whatever game is playing.
Johnson said she‘s also included a small amount of pageant apparel and jewelry as a throwback to her daughter‘s time in the pageant circuit.
The branded fashion includes names such as Miss Me, Rock Revival and AG Jeans. The store also sells jewelry, handbags, accessories and gifts. The boutiques offerings, according to Johnson, are for women in their late teems to retirees coming to the Emerald Coast for a retreat from the cool weather.
"The best thing about the clothes is that everything we have feels good, wears good and looks good," Johnson said. "This place is for every type and every taste."
A Passion for Fashion Leads to Real-World Experience January 27, 2013 3:22 PM
Los Altos High School club compete to design windows and style outfits at the downtown boutique Apricot Lane.
By L.A. Chung Email the author January 26, 2013
PHOTOS (5)
VIDEOS (1)
Elise Hu loves everything runway.
"I can feel the emotion coming through the clothing," the Los Altos High sophomore said of her habit of watching runway shows on the Internet. "I feel alive."
So she started Debut, a club for like-minded classmates at LAHS, aimed at all aspects of fashion and a broad appreciation—photography, modeling, design.
Just before the holidays got underway, staff at the new downtown boutique, Apricot Lane, was trying to connect with local schools ... where teens naturally have an interest in fashion. They proposed a holiday window and styling competition, with store fashion merchandising employees mentoring the students. The entire club got to create a holiday backdrop for the window, and four students, senior Jennifer Helguera, and sophomores Janna Wang, Michelle Deng and Hu, competed with their styling. Each competitor acted as the lead during her week, and the team would help carry it out, dressing the mannequins, finding the models and shooting photos. After the holidays, fans got to vote on Apricot Lane's Facebook page for a winner. Apricot Lane doubled its Facebook fan page "likes" during the holiday run, said employee Naida Ergas.
"At the beginning, we didn't know what we were doing, and we got the window all tricked out," Hu said ruefully. "We had to do it over, because we learned that the idea is to show the clothes.
Manager Angela Forte laughed at the memory. "They learned that if they put out fake snow, the fibers were going to get all over the clothing."
All the contestants will go on a trip to the Feb. 5 CALA Fashion show in San Francisco, and lunch with Apricot Lane owner Nikolina Bergstrom.
Winner Hu also received a beribboned mannequin ("I think every fashion girl wants one," quipped manager Angela Forte) and "Windows" a huge coffee table book on the store windows of the storied Bergdorf Goodman department store. Deng, whose photography impressed Bergstrom, was offered a three-month internship to shoot fashion at the store.
"It really really motivated me, that it could help in a future in fashion marketing," Hu said. "
YIFTEE Launches for Gifts On-The-Go! December 12, 2012 4:27 PM
YIFTEE™ NATIONAL LAUNCH SPREADS JOY WITH GIFTS ON-THE-GO THAT STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES Simple, thoughtful gifts drive business to local merchants and contributions to charities
SPREADS JOY WITH GIFTS ON-THE-GO THAT STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES
Simple, thoughtful gifts drive business to local merchants
and contributions to charities
Menlo Park, CA – December 12, 2012 – Today a brand new website and iPhone app is launched; known as Yiftee, the company provides thoughtful gifts in an instant to loved ones, friends and colleagues. With this exciting new iPhone app and Internet service gifts can be given at over two million local restaurants and shops to say happy birthday, thanks, congrats or just because. Recipients are notified instantly by email, text message or Facebook® post about their Yiftee gift and can pick it up using any smart phone or tablet, driving profitable business to Main Street and strengthening local communities.
Yiftee (www.yiftee.com) lets consumers send thoughtful (most under $20), unexpected gifts among friends, family and colleagues quickly and easily via email, mobile and social media. Yiftee gifts are real items (e.g. a latte, glass of wine, lunch, manicure, rose or boutique fashion item) that recipients pick up (gifts are never mailed) at favorite local cafés and stores, driving profitable business to local merchants. Unredeemed gifts can be donated to charity or they will be credited back to the Yiftee giver’s account after four weeks. Yiftee gifts do not pile up like gift cards and can be given at any merchant who accepts MasterCard nationwide. Merchants gain additional sales, foot traffic and a free mobile/web sales channel at no cost to them.
Featured merchants get top billing for free
To send a gift, the consumer fires up the Yiftee iPhone app or website, chooses a friend and their location and Yiftee will present gifts from featured merchants in that area first with pictures, descriptions and pricing. Then Yiftee uses consumer feedback to prioritize other merchants in the area. Any merchant can apply to be featured at Yiftee.com – there is no cost, no commitment, no special technology and no discounting required. Once the consumer chooses a gift, she writes a note, pays for it and sends the gift notification via Facebook, email or text. The gift recipient simply pays with a prepaid credit card that he or she shows the merchant on a smart phone and the merchant is paid by MasterCard®. Yiftee makes money by charging a convenience fee that is paid by the gift giver.
“Yiftee is a win-win-win: for the gift giver who gets to quickly acknowledge a special moment, for the recipient who inevitably smiles at the thoughtfulness, and for the local merchant, who gains a happy customer who might not otherwise have come in the store” said Yiftee Co-Founder and CEO, Donna Novitsky. “We hope that others are as excited about this as we are and that we start a local gifting craze that helps local businesses thrive in an increasingly online and mobile economy.”
Strong link to local and national non-profits
Sometimes “it’s the thought that counts” and the recipient does not have time to pick up their gift. In that case, the recipient can donate it to a group of well respected, family oriented national charities, or simply allow the money to go back to the gift giver’s Yiftee account, from which they can then give another gift. This avoids complex accounting issues for the merchants and there is no risk that the value of the gift will be lost, like an unused gift card.
Yiftee also works with local non-profits so local communities can benefit from the program as well. Most recently, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church co-sponsored a program to gift Thanksgiving dinners and gift baskets to over three-hundred people in the Redwood City, California community. Yiftee is currently working with local volunteer organizations in Red Hook, Rockaway and Staten Island, NY to help both local merchants and families in those areas hard hit by Superstorm Sandy get back on their feet via a unique gifting service available to anyone in the United States.
Yiftee partners with national merchants who contribute locally
To kick start featured merchants nationally, Yiftee is partnering with two significant franchisors: Apricot Lane, a women’s clothing boutique, and Capriotti’s, a handmade sandwich shop. “Our partners care deeply about the communities where their stores are located,” commented Lori Laub, Yiftee Co-Founder responsible for merchant and customer relationships, “Their store owners are entrepreneurs with deep roots in the same town councils and little leagues as the independent merchants and we are honored to work with them all.”
Led by seasoned entrepreneurs, moms and mobile media experts
Creating companies with a big impact is nothing new for the four Yiftee co-founders. Collectively, they have six IPOs and two acquisitions under their belts, as well as the most current expertise in mobile application development, social media and big data trends from Stanford’s School of Engineering and Carnegie Mellon University. Yiftee was honored to have been one of six winners out of eighty-eight applicants chosen to participate in the Stanford Forge Accelerator program in 2011/2012 and one of nine finalists out of 400 in the Stanford BASES eChallenge.
About Yiftee, ™ Local Gifts, On-the-Go
Founded in 2011, Yiftee is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA. Yiftee (www.yiftee.com) is an exciting new iPhone app and Internet service that lets consumers send thoughtful, unexpected gifts (most under $20) among friends, family and colleagues quickly and easily via email, mobile and social media. Yiftee gifts are real items that the recipients pick up using their smart phones and tablets at favorite local restaurants and shops, driving profitable business to local merchants. To be featured, merchants simply apply at Yiftee.com; there is no cost, no commitment, no special technology and no discounting required. Merchants gain additional sales, foot traffic and a free mobile/web sales channel. Please see www.yiftee.com to give your gift and spread the Yiftee love.
"We always like to stay ahead of the latest fashion trends and by partnering with Yiftee, we are able to stay ahead of trends in the tech world too!" said Ken Petersen, founder of the popular Apricot Lane Boutique franchise. "We are excited to be a part of something that promotes random acts of kinds throughout the year, but more importantly, we are thrilled that one of our featured gifts gives back. Our 3Strands bracelets are made by young women in Cambodia who have been rescued from sex trafficking and 50% of the profits go back to help those same young women."
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop. Jason Smylie, Executive VP/CIO/CMO:
"Capriotti's is thrilled to be an early partner with Yiftee. Their unique gifting platform is easy to use not only for consumers, but also for our shop managers. The simple execution and potential for incremental revenue is what makes Yiftee particularly attractive for our brand."
Apricot Lane fund raising for fallen trooper November 30, 2012 7:11 PM
By Beau Ebenezer
Updated Nov 29, 2012 at 11:13 PM CST
PEORIA, Ill. -- Following the death of an Illinois State Trooper Monday, one Peoria store is looking to help during the holidays.
State Trooper Kyle Deatherage was killed after being struck by a semi on I-55 Monday morning.
Now, Apricot Lane in the Shoppes of Grand Prairie is lending his family a helping hand.
This weekend, the store will put 20 percent of all sales towards an education fund for Deatherage's children.
Apricot Lane will also be accepting monetary donations for the family.
Owner of the store, Jenna Green, whose husband is also a state trooper, came up with the idea following the tragic news.
"She heard the story and it obviously broke her heart. It hit really close to home for her that her husband is a state trooper and just imagining what that might be like for them especially through the holidays," said Apricot Lane Manager Ashley Drissi.
The visitation for Trooper Deatherage is Friday from 4:30 to 8 p.m.
The funeral is this Saturday at 8 am at Triad High School in Troy Illinois
.
Opening early on black friday, good or bad thing? November 26, 2012 12:28 PM
St. Louis, MO (KSDK) - Wal-Mart has already come out and said this was their best Black Friday ever and the Mall of America says 30,000 people showed up for the mall's midnight opening which is 10,000 more people than last year.
Most stores have been packed all day even those that opened up Thanksgiving night, but we wanted to know what about the stores that didn't open up early? How did they fair?\
Apricot Lane,a women's boutique, is filled with ladies clothing, jewelry and loyal customers.
"They like the store, they love the product and they like all of my dresses and my tops," says Angie Nichols the owner of the boutique.
Nichols opened her doors just a few hours earlier Friday morning, but the place didn't start buzzing until around 11 that morning. Nichols is guessing that's when her shoppers got their second wind.
"I've been asking if they've been getting any good deals today and they are and some have been up, they said they were here out already at midnight and back out again," says Nichols.
Some of her shoppers may have been hitting the deals at Target.
The Ballwin location may look a little less stressful Friday night, but trust the manager Amanda Hill when she says it was all hustle and bustle Thursday night around the 9pm opening.
"Larger groups of people in here than we have ever seen, it took us a little bit longer to get in the door than we have in the past," says Hill.
She says, yes, the crowds were bigger and the demographics were different with more families and kids joining in on the Black Friday fun.
"When you open at midnight or 4 am, you have to get up or worry about the time that you have go to sleep and we definitely have the mass Black Friday shoppers the people who waited in line for the first 2.5 hours," says Hill.
It's still early but she's guessing the sales are about the same as last year's, or maybe a little better.
So opening at 9 o'clock Thursday night ended up being a good sales move, but did it affect places like Apricot Lane?
"We are not the midnight shopper for sure, no one is coming in at midnight," says a laughing Nichols.
Those in retail are hoping the past 24 hours say something about the next month. Both Nichols and Hill are expecting better sales for the next month compared to last year.
DESIGNER & TV PERSONALITY WHITNEY PORT’S FALL LINE WE by WHITNEY EVE DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR APRICOT LANE BOUTIQUE ARRIVES IN STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
FUN, FEMININE STYLES FOUND AT LOCALLY OWNED STORES
LOS ANGELES, CA--- Using her design aesthetic, Designer and TV Personality Whitney Port launches the new WE by Whitney Eve Fall 2012 line where she combines signature styles from her successful Whitney Eve collection with a modern twist. This second collection is available exclusively at Apricot Lane Boutiques across the country and www.apricotlaneusa.com allowing more women to dress like a celebrity without the designer price tag! Whitney Port herself will make a personal appearance at the Apricot Lane in Downtown Disney District on Wednesday, November 14 at 10 a.m. greeting all fans and showing her line.
The initial launch of WE by Whitney Eve received extraordinary attention from national press and the WE by Whitney Eve Fall 2012 line continues to peak the interests fashions enthusiasts and is sure to be just as successful and desirable as the first line.
"The new WE by Whitney Eve 2012 Fall line compliments the concept behind Apricot Lane Boutique - high fashion, celebrity inspired looks for less!” explained Cristi Hargroves, Apricot Lane franchisee with 19 locations. “The entire collection will be priced around $60 allowing Apricot Lane the pleasure of offering females of all ages the opportunity to wear designer pieces without squeezing their budgets."
The WE by Whitney Eve Fall 2012 line, exclusive to Apricot Lane Boutiques, arrived in stores this week and features the CURVE Dress, LOVE Sweater, WILLIE skirt, STEEL top and CRISS CROSS leggings. All pieces retail from $59 to $79 with limited quantities of each piece to ensure every purchase has a more personal feel. Apricot Lane stylists personally assist customers in putting together head to toe looks that are built around key items, helping customers make a statement this season.
Growing up in Los Angeles and having lived in Manhattan, Port blends the ease of California style with the sophistication and edge of New York City life. Gaining experience in various fields of the industry from magazine internships to stints at renowned fashion houses, Port discovered her true calling was in design. Port created Whitney Eve to convey her fashion sensibility in wearable works of art. Showcasing the designer's inherent creativity and knack for style, Whitney Eve has an on-going presence now at New York Fashion Week and created the WE by Whitney Eve line to expand the reach of fashion enthusiasts with more affordable pieces.
Apricot Lane Boutique features west coast, celebrity inspired fashions, accessories and more for both mothers and daughters, teens through 50's. The ever-changing inventory ensures that any female at any age will have a chance to discover something new and individual to their own personality each time they are in the store with the limited quantities of each item. The style experts encourage females to come in and try on the latest trends to see what most fits their lifestyle.
# # #
CONTACT:
STACEY GRAHAM stacey@sgprgroup.com
310.343.0451
Written by Melanie Lowe, Daily Vidette Staff Writer
While offering a variety of appetizing restaurants, trendy record stores and unique boutiques, Uptown Normal was always missing one thing — a clothing store.
Fortunately, Apricot Lane celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 4 and has provided the public with up-to-date fashions ever since.
Stacie Ostrander, assistant manager of Apricot Lane, commented on the success of the store’s opening.
“Our opening was the biggest opening the company has had, and we were really excited about that. We saw so much of the public and sold out on a lot of merchandise. It was a great day,” Ostrander said.
Apricot Lane is a retail franchise that was introduced in 2007. Since then, it has grown into a stylish and modern clothing store located in 28 states.
The store offers all of the latest trends in apparel, jewelry, handbags, shoes, accessories and gifts.
It presents a fun selection of retail to the public that appeals to a wide variety of customers.
“My mom can come into Apricot Lane and find something she likes just as easily as my sister and mes,” Ostrander said.
Apricot Lane’s location in Uptown Normal has students on ISU’s campus smiling.
Melanie Kaplan / Daily Vidette Photo Editor: Apricot Lane is a new, affordable boutique located next door to CVS pharmacy in Uptown Normal. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
“This is my first time being here, but I’m sure I’ll be back because it’s so close to campus,” freshman Megan Lees said.
“It’s a lot different than anything I’ve seen, and it’s very unique for Uptown Normal,” freshman Nicole Wolters said.
Located in the mix of Uptown Normal’s flourishing environment, the store’s atmosphere has customers shopping without end.
“The store has a really chill environment, and we really do have it all,” Ostrander said.
Fashionable clothing, trendy bags and hip shoes prove to be exactly what Normal needed.
“Their clothing is diverse because it’s very urban and European looking. The prices are a little bit higher than other shops, but it’s worth it. This is a store just for girls, and their merchandise is very feminine. This is something great for Normal,” Rozana Catarinicchia, resident of Bloomington, said.
Sophomores Genna Pavone and Kelly Kaspar admit that they could spend all day shopping at Apricot Lane.
“This is heaven,” Pavone said.
“I want Apricot Lane to be my closet,” Kaspar said.
Ostrander reminds the public that social media is the key to online shopping.
To shop online at Apricot Lane, visit facebook.com/ApricotLaneBloomingtonNormal, where the store posts pictures of their latest and most fashionable merchandise.
Apricot Lane...downtown Duluth October 21, 2012 11:46 PM
It’s hip, fashionable and geared to women 25 to 45. And it’s coming to downtown Duluth. A winner in the Greater Downtown Council storefront contest plans to open the state’s first Apricot Lane Boutique this spring.
By: Candace Renalls, Duluth News Tribune
Wendy Myers, one of the winners of a year’s free rent in the Greater Downtown Council’s storefront contest, plans to open an Apricot Lane Boutique at 313 W. Superior St., next to Bagley & Co. It will be the first franchise in Minnesota of the rapidly growing chain featuring designer brands and celebrity-inspired fashions for women ages 25 to 45. (Bob King / rking@duluthnews.com)
It’s hip, fashionable and geared to women 25 to 45. And it’s coming to downtown Duluth.
A winner in the Greater Downtown Council storefront contest plans to open the state’s first Apricot Lane Boutique this spring.
With franchise and financing in hand, retail veteran Wendy Myers will seal the deal today when she signs a 10-year lease that will allow her to open the specialty women’s clothing shop at 313 W. Superior St.
“I am so excited, I can’t wait,” said Myers, 38, of Duluth, who plans to open by May and believes such stores can be successful again downtown.
“There used to be stores like this downtown that worked,” she said. “I think it will work because it’s unique to Duluth. It will be a destination to go to. It will draw people. All those women who go to the Cities for this, now won’t have to.”
Until now, much of the upper Midwest has eluded Apricot Lane Boutique, a rapidly growing women’s apparel chain based in California. Offering celebrity-inspired fashion, accessories and gifts at affordable prices, it opened its first store in 2007. It now has 64 stores in 26 states, with 50 more planned for 2012. In 2008, the International Council of Shopping Centers named it the year’s hot fashion retailer.
“It’s really exciting, especially since it’s the first one in Minnesota,” said Kristi Stokes, president of the downtown council, which had listed women’s clothing stores as a top need for downtown. “It will be a great addition to downtown and a good fit.”
Myers is one of three aspiring entrepreneurs who won the Greater Downtown Council’s “Go Downtown, Grow Downtown, The Great Space Giveaway” contest last year to fill empty storefronts on Superior Street. Included in the $55,000 incentive package is one year’s free rent.
Nine vacant storefronts were offered up for the contest by their owners willing to forgo a year’s rent for a minimum three-year lease commitment. From the beginning, Myers had her eye on the 3,000-square-foot store space next to Bagley & Co. jewelry store.
Property owner Rick Heimbach, who also owns Bagley’s, saw Myers’ planned store as a good fit and worked to make it happen. After months of negotiations — including hammering out details over needed remodeling — the lease was finalized last week.
The downtown site once housed Anne Childs and J.S. Meier, both upscale women’s clothing shops. Myers’ shop will differ by appealing to a younger clientele with casual to dressy apparel and the latest jewelry, shoes and accessories. She’ll choose from a list of Apricot Lane’s offerings of premium brands, including Rock Revival, Laguna Beach, Kensie and William Rast. Although its core customer base is younger than those of the storefront’s predecessors, Myers said there will be something to appeal to those and younger ages as well.
“This type of store caters to a wide age group,” she said. “The merchandise is unique. You don’t buy in large quantities. You get six pieces at a time, so you can really focus on what your customers like.”
Downtown Duluth a good fit
While Duluth gets the first Apricot Lane in Minnesota, there also has been interest in opening stores in Minneapolis, which likely will follow, said company CEO Ken Petersen.
But not just anybody gets a franchise.
“They decide if you are a good fit for their company, not the other way around,” Myers said. “They really want you to succeed and have good store locations. It’s all about the passion of the people that open the stores.”
Petersen personally visited Duluth to check it out before a franchise was granted.
“I fell in love with Duluth,” he said. “I loved the downtown, the enthusiasm, the downtown development team I met, and what’s going on there. And I love to be part of that revitalization. I think there’s a lot of opportunity there.”
Petersen said he also fell in love with Myers, noting her longtime ties with Duluth, degree in retail and fashion management and 20 years of experience in retail and store management.
“We’re not just looking for someone to come in and open and close the door, but someone who wants to be part of the community and give back,” he said.
Starting a business
Myers had long wanted to open her own store. She stumbled upon Apricot Lane online and liked what she saw.
“If I were to design a store, it would look something like this,” she said. “It’s unique, and it’s a bold chic. It’s special. It’s inviting. It’s someplace you can go and feel comfortable shopping, where you can go and feel special, where you can get that personal one-on-one attention if you want it.”
So Myers looked into getting an Apricot Lane franchise, a rare opportunity in women’s fashions, and prepared to start a business. She took a business class through Northeast Entrepreneur Fund. She was close to finishing her business plan when the storefront contest was announced a year ago.
She already was leaning toward opening a store downtown. After managing American Eagle Outfitters and Northern Reflections stores at Miller Hill Mall, she longed for something different.
“I want a unique, personal shopping experience,” Myers said. “People who came in liked the younger look but didn’t want to shop with the younger crowd. And they wanted to find unique items that nobody has.”
Construction to turn the store space into an Apricot Lane store will start this month, Heimbach said, since store designs are done, a contractor is already lined up and the plan passed its city review.
Little will change to the storefront beyond a new door and signage. But the interior will get a total makeover to meet Apricot Lane’s specifications. That includes new laminate wood floors, chandeliers and pendant lights, dressing rooms, a faux fireplace, sitting area and brick slat walls that will be used for displays and hanging clothes, all with an apricot and tan motif with black accents.
“When people walk in, they will see a nice warm, cozy environment, full of clothes and fun,” Myers said.
People have been asking for a women’s clothing store downtown since Anne Childs closed in 2006, Heimbach said.
“This is so positive for downtown, to have a brand new store catering to young women,” he said. “And it’s very popular and very well recognized in other states throughout the country. It’s priced well and competitively. And it’s a pretty neat design, with a new upscale image for downtown.”
The downtown location next to Bagley’s made a difference in granting the franchise, Petersen said. “We’re so excited to be his neighbor. It’s another reason why we’re excited to be in Duluth,” he said.
Once remodeling is complete this spring, Myers expects the store to be open Mondays through Saturdays, with a staff of five to eight.
San Diego International Airport October 21, 2012 11:45 PM
West coast trends and east coast style – including celebrity-inspired clothing – are scheduled to arrive at Sunset Cove in Terminal 2 West when Apricot Lane opens in 2013. While Apricot Lane franchise boutiques can be found in 29 states, this will be both the first airport store and the first San Diego location.
Apricot Lane grew out of CEO Ken Petersen’s previous franchising experience in home décor and collectibles. He and his business partners started thinking outside the box to fill a void they saw in the fashion industry.
“Across the fashion industry there are boutiques and national retail chains,” said Petersen. “We were able to bring our franchising background to the boutique operator.”
The San Diego International Airport franchise is owned by a joint venture between Pacific Gateway Concessions LLC and Procurement Concepts Inc. The store will be run by a local operator who knows the San Diego market well.
What’s a girl to do when her clothing line has found success? Create another one!
Whitney Port is launching a new line, WE by Whitney Eve, exclusively forApricot Lane boutiques around the U.S. The budget-friendly collection — which boasts five styles for spring and a fuller line for fall — includes a black catsuit ($130), cream skirt ($104), cream blazer (left, $130), navy dress (right, $119) and cream blouse ($93).
Port launched her first line, Whitney Eve, in 2008, in the midst of her run on MTV’s The Hills. The line has always earned mostly positive reviews from fashion critics, and Port was lucky enough to show her fall 2012 collection at New York Fashion Week last month.
First Look: Whitney Port's New Lower-Priced Line October 21, 2012 11:38 PM
Whitney Port is launching a new lower-priced line, WE by Whitney Eve! The budget-friendly collection will be available exclusively throughApricot Lane boutiques starting April 19th, and will act as a secondary line to her main label,Whitney Eve, which the former reality star launched in 2008. We by Whitney Eve boasts five styles for spring ranging in price from $93 to $130, with a bigger lineup scheduled for fall.Click through the gallery to browse this season’s designs, and visit apricotlaneusa.com for a list of store locations.
Purse-friendly Port! October 21, 2012 11:36 PM
Purse-friendly Port! Whitney launches a more affordable
fashion line for spring by Hanna Rand
Whitney Port is set to launch a new fashion line in April.
Available exclusively for Apricot Lane boutiques, the more budget friendly W.E. by Whitney Port collection contains five key pieces for the savvy city girl.
The line will work side-by-side with her mainline, Whitney Eve, which she launched in 2008 and has been worn by Heidi Klum and Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, as well as friends Paris and Nicky Hilton.
Click Here for complete story and more WE by Whitney Eve fashion
Designer at Disney October 21, 2012 11:35 PM
Designer at Disney:We by Whitney Eve at Apricot Lane Boutique
Teresa Freeman
Orlando Budget Fashion Examiner
What fashionista doesn't love lower priced designer fashion? Well here is a designer line available at a new local boutique. We by Whitney Eve is a five piece capsule collection that will be exclusively available at Apricot Lane Boutiques. Located at Downtown Disney this boutique has everything you need to get trend reeady for spring.
Designer Whitney Port created her line Whitney Eve in 2008 and had her first runway show at New York Fashion Week in 2009. Her design esthetic mixes the laidback style of her califorina roots with the edgy sophistication of her new home of New York City.
The five piece collection features The Megan Catsuit $130, The Jackie Skirt $104, The Alodie Blazer, The Louie Dress $119 , and the Molly Blouse $93. All are perfect pieces to add to your wardrobe and will mix and match seamlessly with what you already own. An expanded line will be available in the fall.
So head on down to Downtown Disney and check out this fabulous new boutique and designer line.
Apricot Lane - Kennewick
1321 N Columbia Center Blvd, #624
Kennewick, WA 99336
Phone: 509-737-8900
E-mail: info@apricotlanekennewick.com
Click Here to visit Website.
View Map
Apricot Lane- Spokane
808 West Main Ave., #216
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: 509-747-1580
E-mail: spokane@apricotlaneusa.com
Click Here to visit Web site
Support pouring in to help Luke Durst October 21, 2012 11:32 PM
Apricot Lane - Kennewick
1321 N Columbia Center Blvd, #624
Kennewick, WA 99336
Phone: 509-737-8900
E-mail: info@apricotlanekennewick.com
Click Here to visit Website.
View Map
Apricot Lane- Spokane
808 West Main Ave., #216
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: 509-747-1580
E-mail: spokane@apricotlaneusa.com
Apricot Lane Opens in Duluth October 21, 2012 11:30 PM
Reality Star, Designer Whitney Port Set to Drop by Apricot Lane
There was a lot of smiling and posing for photo-ops Friday, making downtown Duluth look more like downtown Los Angeles, at the grand opening of the brand new Apricot Lane Boutique.
The city's A-listers, including the Greater Downtown Council, the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Don Ness hit the apricot carpet for the affair.
"I'm just thrilled, I'm so excited, I think I want to do a stage dive," Mayor Ness joked. "I'm just kidding, but thank you, congratulations, this is an exciting day for downtown."
It was an exciting day for Wendy Myers, too. She has a long history in retail, but as she cut the ribbon to officially open the store Friday, she finally has a starring role as a store owner.
"It's a dream. Every girl wants to have their own store, their own closet. My dream just came true," Myers said.
It's a movie moment, fitting for a store that sells affordable, celebrity-inspired fashions. Everything from jeans and tops to dresses, accessories, and shoes. But Myers said she also wants feedback from shoppers, "It's really going to be based on what my customers say. Do you like this? Do you not like this? Would you do this? What else do you want to see?", Myers said.
Shoppers like Lisa Braun said so far, so good, for any age group,"It's very fashionable, and I would say mothers and daughters can shop here together."
And It's sure to set the stage for what Duluth Chamber of Commerce President Dave Ross said will be an even more successful downtown, "It's businesses like this, stores like this, that will keep our downtown vibrant for years to come."
Reality Star, Designer Whitney Port Set to Drop by Apricot Lane October 21, 2012 11:28 PM
Julie Rom - CEO and Founder of Wardrobe Wizards @Image in You, LLC
My apologies for my long hiatus from bloggin’ but...it has been a busy spring already.
While many of us are enjoying this beautiful spring weather others are struggling with what to wear when it's sooo hot IN APRIL! What a great reason to get out and see and buy the new wares for spring. Be sure to check out more of this spring’s must buys in my next blog!
For today, I wanted to share with you a fabulous event coming to our neck of the woods—Whitney Port is coming to Apricot Lane in Suburban Square this Thursday. Whitney will be throwing a Garden Tea Party along with our local Apricot Lane store to debut her WE by Whitney Eve clothing line, an Apricot Lane exclusive.
For those who are not sure who Whitney Port is, she starred in the reality drama “The Hills” on MTV as Lauren Conrad's BFF and then on her own spin off, “The City.” Whitney, like Lauren, always spoke of her ambition to develop her own clothing line and has had some pretty hefty supporters in the fashion world (hello, Kelly Cutrone)!
Whitney's higher end line, Whitney Eve, has been stocked by high-end department stores, and even debuted at NY Fashion week for her fall 2012 collection!
With her success in the high-end fashion world- Whitney has found a way for all of us to enjoy her designs. Her newest venture is called WE by Whitney Eve which has been developed exclusively for Apricot Lane Stores around the US. Although the spring line is limited there are some great multifunctional pieces, there are plans for a larger roll-out for this fall. So...if you want to meet Whtney and see the birth of the WE by Whitney Port line—head over to Apricot Lane in Ardmore between 5-7 p.m. this Thursday, April 19! Go to Website
Whitney Port unveils new clothing line October 21, 2012 11:26 PM
She’s an endless source of creativity, and Whitney Port was busy unveiling her
new clothing line at Apricot Lane Boutiques yesterday (April 19).
The former “Hills” hottie showed up the Ardmore, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania store where she greeted fans and posed for pictures to help plug her new duds.
In a recent website post, Whitney gushed about her experience with her new Whitney Eve accessories line and how much fun she had designing it.
"The time has finally come!!!! The Bits & Bobs by Whitney Eve look book is here and I am so ready for you to check it out! I have absolutely loved designing this first season of jewelry and cannot wait for many more! It has been such an intriguing learning experience to work with metals. I had a blast going through the bins and bins of chains, beads, brooches and vintage jewelry in order to achieve what we have made."
Hollywood Gossip
Enjoy the pictures of Whitney Port at the debut of her new clothing line at Apricot Lane Boutiques (April 19).
Photo Credit: Wenn.com
Fashion franchise hits Main Street October 21, 2012 11:21 PM
Fashion franchise hits Main Street: Apricot Lane offers popular clothing for teens and moms alike Los Altos Town Crier, written by Eliza Ridgeway
Doggie biscuits and canine collars have given way to silk frocks, birdcages and chandeliers at 315 Main St.
The new Apricot Lane Boutique – which opened last week at the site of the former Five Paw Bakery – features vintage styling and the latest trends, including the premium denim brand of the month.
The downtown Los Altos shop mixes owner Nikoline Bergstrom’s personal touch with the structure of a fashion franchise – Apricot Lane has seven locations in California.
Bergstrom began working in retail apparel at The Emporium and Gottschalks before taking a 20-year break to raise children. Ready to return to the work world, she was interested in the intimate scale of a boutique but didn’t think she had the business chops (and daredevil taste for uncertainty) needed to launch a solo venture from scratch.
“There is so much risk in women’s boutiques, I wanted to make sure I was secure, and I needed some help,” she said.
The women’s-wear business has changed since the heyday of venerable department stores like the San Francisco-based Emporium chain, founded in 1896 and folded into Macy’s in 1995.
“So much has changed in how people buy and in advertising – we didn’t have the Internet back then,” said Bergstrom, recalling her introduction to retail.
The Apricot Lane franchise helps bring new owners up to speed. Each boutique has complete freedom to select its own stock – featuring BCBG at one place, Silver Jeans Co. at another. But each brand brings logistical support ranging from interior-decoration kits to marketing plans.
Bergstrom can scan reports from the chain’s 90 shops to evaluate which merchandise sells best and where. Her target customers in Los Altos include a mother and teenage daughter pair. Both might be drawn to the mid-price-range dresses, denim and handbags Bergstrom stocks.
To fill the shelves, Bergstrom headed to Magic, the fashion trade show in Las Vegas.
“Vendors set up booths similar to the (Los Altos) Arts & Wine Festival, and I bought what I liked,” she said.
She traveled to Los Angeles and acquired niche brands like Jealous Tomato, Ark & Co. and Flying Monkey, to introduce a unique look to Main Street.
“Only wholesalers can shop there. I walked from store to store,” she said. “The LA brands are really popular in Los Gatos and I didn’t see any (in Los Altos).”
Cold calculation underpins Bergstrom’s artistic freedom. Apricot Lane’s corporate parents crunch the numbers on boutique sales to recommend a formula for balancing a store – for example, spend a quarter of the buying budget on denim, a third on tops and a twentieth on hats.
By last week’s grand opening, the shop was stocked with the bright pinks of spring and summer.
Since picking her spot on Main Street, Bergstrom has gutted the interior of the building, built circa 1948, and changed the windows and their position on the sidewalk.
In a nod to the former dog bakery, she’s designing a bespoke water bowl and promises to “be a very pet-friendly store.”
Apricot Lane is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information, visit www.apricotlanelosaltos.com.
Mother's Day Sale at Apricot Lane October 21, 2012 11:18 PM
by Bryan on May 8, 2012 in Merchandise
Apricot Lane, a clothing and boutique store in the Downtown Disney District, is having a series of sales to celebrate that most important person in your life, Mom! Apricot Lane will feature a special promotion each day starting this Wednesday, May 9 through Saturday, May 12, 2012.
On Wednesday, customers can save 20% off of all regularly priced dresses, including brands such as Sanctuary, Velvet Heart, Modern Love and Costa Blanca.
On Thursday, wrap watches and large faced watches will be marked down to $18, regularly $28.
On Friday, customers will will save 20% on regularly priced tops from names like Gracia, G Wear, Vintage Havana.
On Saturday, customers can save %25 off of all accessories, belts, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, handbags and more from Guitar Pick Bling, Good Works, Ollipop and more. (Sale excludes TOMS and Vera Bradley)
“This year we really wanted to share with other moms just how important we think they are, being a mom myself its easy to put ourselves last but this is the one chance you can ask to be spoiled!” explained Cristi Hargroves, mom and business owner. The brands mentioned will vary at each of the store locations.
Tell the Girlfriends:Another Boutique Opened October 21, 2012 11:17 PM
Tell the Girlfriends: Another Boutique Open at The Village of Rochester Hills
by Kristin Bull
Apricot Lane, a boutique described as a "mom and daughter" destination, opened its first Michigan store on Thursday morning at The Village of Rochester Hills.
The shop carries fashion and accessories you won't see anywhere else, said owner Jennifer Braner of Fort Wayne, who grew up in Ortonville and picked Rochester Hills for its first Michigan destination because of the trend factor. Read more...
Fun, Fearless Fashion Lands at McCarran International Airport October 21, 2012 11:15 PM
Fun, Fearless Fashion Lands at McCarran International Airport
Apricot Lane opens First Terminal Boutique
“Apricot Lane Boutiques are delighted to bring a fast-growing proven concept into the exciting airport retail world."
Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) September 18, 2012
Announcing the on-time arrival of celebrity inspired fashions at McCarran International Airport, Terminal 3 as Apricot Lane Boutique (http://www.apricotlaneusa.com and Facebook under Apricot Lane) opened its doors this weekend. While Apricot Lane franchise boutiques can be found in over 30 states with close to 100 stores, this is both the first airport and Nevada location.
Apricot Lane grew out of CEO Ken Petersen’s previous franchising experience in home décor and collectibles. He and his business partners started thinking outside the box to fill a void they saw in the fashion industry.
“Across the fashion industry, there are tiny boutiques and giant national retail chains,” said Petersen. “Apricot Lane was designed to fill the niche in the middle by providing support for franchisees and operating as true boutiques with a completely flexible franchise system- two words you don’t usually hear together in franchising.”
The McCarran International Airport franchise is co-owned by local resident Charles Lonetti and his daughter Cindy who reside in the nearby area. They bring their passion for retail business and extensive knowledge of airport retail experience with them.
“There are very few female apparel focused brands in airports today” said Petersen. “The airport consumer is also evolving and we are seeing an equal split between male and female travelers. For these reasons, we hope to see the proven track record of Apricot Lane Boutiques continue at McCarran.”
Apricot Lane anticipates immediate success with this location and is already looking to move into more airports. Petersen anticipates that major airport concession groups who understand the unique airport operations and have established airport relationships, will see the unique shopping experience that can be brought to the traveler through Apricot Lane locations. Apricot Lane Boutique is set to open in the San Diego airport next year.
The Apricot Lane merchandise mix is broad and designed to appeal to women ranging in age from teens to fifties. Shoppers will find tops, premium denim, scarves, handbags, jewelry and accessories and very specialized gift items at a range of price points which will appeal to travelers looking for that last minute souvenir.
“The buzz is already flying around the airport from flight attendants and airport personnel who will receive special buying promotions throughout the year,” continued Petersen. “We’re flexible in the merchandise mix and we can reflect the demographics of the Las Vegas travel market. If you see it at the airport and love it – buy it. It won’t be there next time,” he said.
Apricot Lane takes on high fashion and makes it affordable, offering an impressive collection of branded apparel that strives to create the looks seen on the runway and in the current issues of national fashion magazines.
“Speaking from personal experience, Apricot Lane is the perfect place for husbands, boyfriends and fathers to pick up gifts for all the women in their lives” said Petersen. “It also suits the female traveler who forgot to pack a wardrobe staple or is just looking for something new and exciting to wear while in Vegas or heading on to her next destination.”
Petersen is excited about Apricot Lane’s arrival in Las Vegas and is already set to open another Nevada based Apricot Lane. “We’re delighted to bring a fast-growing proven concept into the exciting airport retail world."
Apricot Lane is part of the popular Country Visions, Inc. franchise, ranked consistently by Entrepreneur Magazine on their Top Franchise list. Each boutique is individually owned and operated and specializes in unique, one-of-a-kind items along with brand names known for their quality and fashionable style trends. For more information on the franchise, visit http://www.apricotlaneusa.com.
CONTACT:
Stacey Graham
Stacey(at)SGPRGroup(dot)com
310.343.0451
Rachael Lange
Rachael(at)SGPRGroup(dot)com
215.480.0007
Good Day Sacramento Visits AL Vacaville! October 21, 2012 11:13 PM
Sweet Success: Normal Welcomes Apricot Lane October 21, 2012 11:06 PM
NORMAL--Thursday morning customers could be found clamoring into the new Apricot Lane.
Armed with purses.
Ready to spend cash.
"Style. Love the style," said shopper Trisha Tattini. "Don't show my husband this interview though!"
The venue features urban threads with a fancy feminine twist.
And it's grabbing the attention of people across Illinois.
"My sister from Chicago called me up and said you have to go to this store, everything is so cute," said shopper Kelly Tindall.
"My mom from back home, she follows everything about Uptown Normal and she's like, 'Hey, did you check out that store?'" said Kayla Pernai.
The owners hope the store's close proximity to Illinois State University keeps their customers coming back time and time again.
"I don't think there's anything like this in Uptown Normal," said Apricot Lane Co-Owner Jena Green. "We're it. We're the only store that's right here on campus."
Leaders in Normal are thrilled to have the added activity.
They say the family owned business helps fill a missing piece Uptown
As for these women, whether that piece is a shirt, pants or a sweater...
"We know there are some girls down here craving some cute clothing," said Green.
A Morning at Apricot Lane Boutique October 21, 2012 11:05 PM
By Tessa on October 8, 2012
in Review, Things I Love
I was absolutely honored when Aubry from Apricot Lane Boutique contacted me a while back to come and be one of their featured fashion bloggers. I had the opportunity a couple of saturdays ago to go over to Apricot Lane Boutique which is located at The Shops at the Riverwoods here in Provo, to pick out my look for Fall. Holy cutness. I loved the store and all the girls there made me feel like a VIP. They didn’t just treat me like a VIP, but made every other customer feel valued and important as well. I was greeted right away by the lovely Aubry and got right down to business in searching for my perfect Fall outfit.
As I was walking through the store I was trying not to pick everything off the racks to try on. What girl doesn’t like to play dress up? At first, I just walked by this dress, but then one of the girls was like “You have to try this on! It looks so cute!” And she was totally right. I can’t believe I passed it up at first! When I came out of the dressing room we all “ohhh” and “awwwed” over how great this dress was and I felt like a million bucks. This dress is so classic and flattering on. I felt like Audrey Hepburn. Not only did I feel classy, but a little sassy with the exposed zipper and lower cut in the back. Love! The girls then helped me pick out some simple accessories that would go perfectly with classiness of the dress. Oh my goodness, this bag. Let me tell you. I fell in love, almost more in love than I had with the dress. This is a great bag.
I named my look, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” because this outfit would be great for going out to brunch on a crisp fall morning. Also I felt like Audrey Hepburn so I couldn’t help but have her inspire the name of the outfit! I can’t wait to pair this dress with some fall colored tights and great boots for those even cooler autumn days.
Dress: Apricot Lane
Bag: Apricot Lane
Bracelet: Apricot Lane
Shoes: Target
Loving Apricot Lane? You can keep up with them through the following social media sites:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Apricot Lane's social media marketing success October 21, 2012 11:02 PM
NORMAL, Ill -- Facebook recently surpassed the one billion active monthly users mark. One local store is using that to their advantage as they make a name for themselves.
"We carry a little bit of everything for everybody. We're really trying to cater to the college girl, but also to their mom," said store co-owner, Jena Green.
Apricot Lane is a franchise store with two local stores. Green and her mother, Renee Dixon, own a store in Peoria's Shoppes at Grand Prairie and a new store in uptown Normal. But Green said their extensive use of Facebook is unique to them.
"We have over 20,000 friends on Facebook. We were recently just featured in USA Today as well as People Stylewatch. So I really think we've had a huge presence in marketing and social media which has kind of helped us survive during the tough times," she said.
In fact, Green says over half of the store's overall sales are through Facebook.
Green said, "We strive to treat our Facebook customers and our on-line customers as actual customers in our store so we comment back to them as soon as we can."
All of the employees are responsible for updating their site and adding new arrivals daily. It's what ISU Senior Lauren Drury said brought her into the store. She says her and her mother both follow the store on Facebook.
"A lot of other people were followers so that's how I first found out about it. And then they post a lot of updates when they get new stock in or when they re-stock things that were sold out," said Drury. "So, they keep you really updated on what's going on in the store. And then you can kind of scope out what you want and then come today, knowing that today was going to be really busy and still knowing what I wanted to find."
Owners, Green and Dixon hope to continue to attract new followers and shoppers while carving out their social media niche among their key demographic.
Turning tragedy into philanthropy October 21, 2012 11:00 PM
Photos By Ellie Van Houtte/Town CrierNikolina Bergstrom is raising funds for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital after her cousin, Stephen Dorcich died from an immunodeficiency disorder.
Nikolina Bergstrom is seeking to turn a family tragedy into triumph for children with pediatric immunodeficiency disorders.
Bergstrom, owner of Apricot Lane clothing boutique at 315 Main St., is scheduled to host “A Toast to Children’s Health,” a cocktail reception and fundraiser to raise awareness and funds for the Primary Immunodeficiency Program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. The event is slated 6-9 p.m. Nov. 10 at her retail store.
Bergstrom said she was inspired by the untimely 2009 death of her infant cousin, 2-year-old Stephen Dorcich, who was diagnosed with the genetic immunodeficiency disorder Hyper IGM, CD40 Ligand. The disorder, discovered shortly after Stephen was hospitalized with pneumonia at 6 months old, prevents the body’s immune system from fighting off even basic illnesses like the common cold.
“He could’ve died that night,” Bergstrom said of her cousin’s hospitalization for pneumonia. “He did get better, but they later ran tests and found that he had this very serious (disorder).”
In need of a bone-marrow transplant to gain better quality of life, Stephen’s parents – Los Altos residents Marie and Stephen Dorcich – admitted him to the Stem Cell Transplant Unit at Packard shortly after his second birthday. Shortly after receiving the transplant, however, he contracted veno-occlusive disease, which obstructs the small veins of the liver. Later, Stephen also contracted Cytomegalovirus.
The illnesses, Bergstrom recalled, took a toll on her infant cousin, who passed away May 16, 2009, 100 days after being admitted to the hospital.
“There’s nothing worse,” Bergstrom said of her cousin’s death. “I see his picture now and I just tear up. I’ve got his picture all over the place. It’s still hard.”
Bergstrom said that while she doesn’t have any specific fundraising goals, she hopes to turn the event into an annual occurrence that raises more money each year. To that end, Bergstrom said she’s donating 20 percent of all sales during the event to the hospital.
In addition, Bergstrom will raffle off a five-day trip to the Bahamas and is also accepting individual donations to the hospital from guests. The first 50 guests, she added, will receive special gift bags. Stephen’s parents and extended family will be there to honor him.
And while Bergstrom doesn’t have any specific goals for her inaugural event, she does have a larger dream in mind – that her efforts, and those of others, help lead to medical advances to combat pediatric immunodeficiency disorders.
“You see so many ill children when you’re (at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital),” she said. “It’s not a place where children should be. Hopefully, when my children have their children, this thing can be cured.”
For more information or to make a donation, visit give.supportlpch.org/goto/apricotlane.
Apricot Lane sees sweet success in new store October 21, 2012 10:58 PM
While offering a variety of appetizing restaurants, trendy record stores and unique boutiques, Uptown Normal was always missing one thing — a clothing store.
Fortunately, Apricot Lane celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 4 and has provided the public with up-to-date fashions ever since.
Stacie Ostrander, assistant manager of Apricot Lane, commented on the success of the store’s opening.
“Our opening was the biggest opening the company has had, and we were really excited about that. We saw so much of the public and sold out on a lot of merchandise. It was a great day,” Ostrander said.
Apricot Lane is a retail franchise that was introduced in 2007. Since then, it has grown into a stylish and modern clothing store located in 28 states.
The store offers all of the latest trends in apparel, jewelry, handbags, shoes, accessories and gifts.
It presents a fun selection of retail to the public that appeals to a wide variety of customers.
“My mom can come into Apricot Lane and find something she likes just as easily as my sister and mes,” Ostrander said.
Apricot Lane’s location in Uptown Normal has students on ISU’s campus smiling.
Melanie Kaplan / Daily Vidette Photo Editor: Apricot Lane is a new, affordable boutique located next door to CVS pharmacy in Uptown Normal. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
“This is my first time being here, but I’m sure I’ll be back because it’s so close to campus,” freshman Megan Lees said.
“It’s a lot different than anything I’ve seen, and it’s very unique for Uptown Normal,” freshman Nicole Wolters said.
Located in the mix of Uptown Normal’s flourishing environment, the store’s atmosphere has customers shopping without end.
“The store has a really chill environment, and we really do have it all,” Ostrander said.
Fashionable clothing, trendy bags and hip shoes prove to be exactly what Normal needed.
“Their clothing is diverse because it’s very urban and European looking. The prices are a little bit higher than other shops, but it’s worth it. This is a store just for girls, and their merchandise is very feminine. This is something great for Normal,” Rozana Catarinicchia, resident of Bloomington, said.
Sophomores Genna Pavone and Kelly Kaspar admit that they could spend all day shopping at Apricot Lane.
“This is heaven,” Pavone said.
“I want Apricot Lane to be my closet,” Kaspar said.
Ostrander reminds the public that social media is the key to online shopping.
To shop online at Apricot Lane, visit facebook.com/ApricotLaneBloomingtonNormal, where the store posts pictures of their latest and most fashionable merchandise.
Apricot Lane is a dynamic, fast reacting, truly unique fashion retail store located in high traffic shopping centers bringing the latest designer brands and collections to your customers and backed with the support of an established, comprehensive proven retail operation. We are the ONLY women's fashion boutique franchise combining opportunities from the Fashion and Gift Industries! We offer popular merchandise that customers love along with a proven formula that maximizes your potential for success.
Apricot Lane is the ONLY Specialty Retail Franchise to offer branded fashion apparel, jewelry, handbags, accessories and gifts in the styles and trends customers are looking for. We offer not only a unique and fun shopping experience for our customers, but we also have a fantastic franchise opportunity for individuals who would love to express their passion for shopping by owning their own boutique.
Welcome to Apricot Lane USA! Fashion-savvy shoppers love Apricot Lane for our quality, stylish brand-name clothing, fun fashion accessories, and excellent customer service. Entrepreneurs love Apricot Lane for our unique and successful franchise opportunity that can help them own their own business!
So come join us in the spotlight! Whether you are shopping for a new outfit to add to your closet or looking for an exciting new business venture, you’ll find the information you need to know right here.
Point the Way
“Our lead flow of new franchisees has never been stronger and existing franchisees are expanding. These are all healthy indicators in franchising which is fueling our growth,” explained Ken Petersen founder and CEO of the Apricot Lane franchise.
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