Ten years ago, Shauna Boichut and her husband Emmanuel moved to Venice after a two-year search through Florida for the perfect place to live. Originally from Colorado and France respectively, Shauna and Emmanuel toured Florida’s east coast one year, the west coast the next, and chose Venice as their home.
They also brought their business skills with them. In Colorado, the couple had been French linen importers for 17 years, wholesalers to 200 stores in five countries.
“We started off as farmer’s market people on the weekends and just got bigger and bigger,” Shauna says. “Then we were working in New York and Atlanta four times a year at the largest wholesale trade shows in the US. When we moved here, we started the French Linen Chest on Miami Avenue.”
As tastes changed and interest in linens waned, Shauna capitalized on her past experience owning a women’s clothing store and transformed her shop into the fashion and accessories business she and Emmanuel run now, Island Way Boutique.
“Emmanuel and I do all the buying together,” Shauna says. “We make selections for our local residents, folks on vacation, and our international visitors. We are known for top quality and styling at the very best prices.”
Warm, welcoming, and funny, Shauna is the vital heart of her business. But Emmanuel, the love of her life, more than does his part to help.
“Emmanuel was a ski and dive instructor in Chamonix and Corsica,” Shauna says. “And he still says this is the favorite job he has ever had! Customers come into our store and ask me, ‘So where is that man?’ I say, ‘The man is home cooking,’ and they say, ‘Oh, he cooks, too?’ It’s a crackup in here. We love coming to work every day.”
225 West Miami Ave., Venice. 941.451.9668 Facebook.com/DownIslandWayBoutique
Top photo: Island Way Boutiques's vegan tote and purse line. The periwinkle blue ostrich tote shown here comes in over ten colors, and the famous flowered ostrich clutch comes in two styles and several colors. This line is one of the store's most popular. It comes in purses, clutches, totes, and wallets and phone cases, is very durable and customers come back for other colors and styles year after year. The hand-painted leather coin purses are from Spain. The store offers beautiful selections of jewelry and scarves to accessorize its handbags and incredible collection of dresses, tops, pants, jackets, cover ups, sports wear and more. There is always something new and exciting arriving at the store.
Bottom left: Island Way Boutique's all leather extensive collection of wallets, purses, ID holders, coin purses, credit card holders, eyeglass cases, and passport holders start at as little as $12.00. The line has a vivid color selection--currently pastels--and changes its color palates every season. It is a highly versatile line, and the quality and beauty really shows and will last.
Bottom right: Emmanuel and Shauna at Island Way Boutique.