Hemlines Boutique has brought its selection of fresh, chic clothing for all ages to a new downtown location in Lee's Summit. Owners Sarah Ritz, Ashley Bowen, and Amy Easterla share a common goal of offering women of all ages a selection of items that make them feel confident and comfortable.
Bowen explains, "One of the things that brought us together was that we wanted to find better quality clothing than what we had been seeing for women our age. It seemed other boutiques were geared to younger people, and we're in our 40s."
"Just hit 50s," Easterla chimes in.
"So, we just wanted to find quality clothing that would last," Bowen continues. "But we also want the daughters to find things in here as well."
Ritz adds, "Our tagline, if you will, on Facebook is that we're three moms with three different styles. We all do the mom life every day with our kids, just like everybody else. But we also want to be able to look good and feel good. We mean to express that throughout the store to make anybody who walks through the door able to walk out feeling just as great as well."
The three women met while working together at a different shop. As their friendship grew, it became clear that they shared a similar vision for a boutique catering to women. They started online in September 2023, offering both clothing and home selections. In May 2024, they opened a retail location in downtown Pleasant Hill, adding furniture to the mix.
When they moved to Lee's Summit this past May, the smaller space led to the decision to discontinue the furniture and most of the home section. While a selection of home decor, art, and gifts remains available, the shop is now primarily dedicated to clothing and accessories.
"We just love fashion, and it's so much easier than lugging furniture," Bowen says, with a grin.
The boutique offers a diverse selection of clothing brands. For autumn, the popular colors are chocolate brown and burgundy. Suede pieces are huge sellers, as are Chiefs gear, tailgate outfits, and animal prints. Some of the shop's best-selling items feature various prints, such as teddy bears and dogs.
Bowen says, "Since we don't have a lot of space, our selection is very curated. And it's a great place to come if you're looking to buy a gift for somebody. We have some of the cutest little gifts, like picture frames and cute little glasses. You can find puzzles, candles, botanicals, and a card if you're buying a gift. Plus, we have handmade things that you're not going to find someplace else. "
The Hemlines' team has managed to avoid the pitfalls of friends going into business together. If one partner doesn't know how to fix a problem, one of the other two does. If one person likes an idea but the other two don't, it gets shelved unless that partner can make an argument in its favor. And, since they all have different styles, each woman receives a die-on-your-hill selection. During an ordering session, if one woman wants an item the other two don't like, they can make it their die-on-your-hill selection.
Ritz says, "We've learned to collaborate because we all have very different styles and different tastes."
"We all have different strengths," Easterla says.
Bowen adds, "But we all have the same goal in mind."
Hemline's Boutique is located at 129 SE Douglas Street. For Lee's Summit City Lifestyle readers, customers who mention the shop's ad in this issue will receive 20 percent off their purchase. Gift certificates are also available. To browse the store's selection or place an order online, visit hemlinesboutique.com.
"We have handmade things that you're not going to find someplace else."