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Local women’s boutique Clairvaux is readying for its second area location. It originally planned to open in May inside Overland Park’s Hawthorne Plaza, but the city’s permitting process delayed plans.
Now, it’s slated to open on Friday – two years after it opened its first store in Fairway. Its growth has rivaled industry standards, and it needed a second location to accommodate a bigger customer base, said Clairvaux founder Joni Johnson, who built a more than 15-year career at Standard Style, a luxury apparel and lifestyle boutique founded by husband-and-wife team Matt and Emily Baldwin.
Clairvaux now employs about 25 people.
In addition to a 2,000-square-foot retail space at Hawthorne Plaza, Clairvaux has taken over a 1,500-square-foot office on the south side of the shopping center for its accounting, receiving, buying and e-commerce operations. Clairvaux already has an e-commerce presence, attracting customers like actor Sofía Vergara, but the new office now gives it room to scale online sales and marketing, she said.
“This really allows us to grow,” Johnson said.
Clairvaux has seen traction with its weekly Instagram live videos, which Johnson and other employees host to showcase new arrivals. They’ll gives tips on how to style a new item and the best occasions to wear it.
“That’s been a huge engagement piece for us. We see a lot of our e-commerce orders follow after those videos,” she said.
Johnson described her luxury clothing boutique as “Parisian chic meets California cool,” which incorporates classic pieces with ones that are more fun and experimental. Think wearable art, she said. Its core client base ranges from 35 to 75.
“I think having something that is fresh and modern for the women of that age group is so refreshing,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with Talbots, but it shouldn’t be your only option for mature women who want to dress fashionably but age appropriate.”
Johnson knows fashion. She was a buyer for Standard Style and its sister brand, BLDWN, and held roles such as retail director and sales director. She’s also been a freelance stylist and knows the lifestyle and designs local woman want.
In some ways, opening during the pandemic gave it an advantage. As other retailers were closing, Clairvaux provided a new option and a fresh, unique perspective, and that combination became a powerful tool for driving sales, she said.
“We really think about the customer experience while they’re in the store,” Johnson said. “We want it to feel like ‘Cheers’ when you walk in: ‘Oh, hey, Mary? How are you? Tell me about the baby.’ It’s just more relational.”
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