Stephanie Coultress O’Neill started selling clothes out of her 800 square foot apartment nearly 20 years ago before moving into her first brick and mortar, a 2100 square foot space on 2nd Street downtown. She’d relocated estilo to Cassis Village in Tarrytown ten years ago, and added separate stores for estilo Men and estilo Kids. This year, she combined the three stores into the first boutique department store of its kind in Austin, occupying 4200 sq ft., something she calls a life-long goal.“ My dream for the store was always to create a space where people genuinely enjoyed visiting. While my love for fashion and styling was the foundation, it was about creating an environment that made people feel good,” she says, “Boutique shopping is about experiencing a thoughtfully curated collections and I wanted that experience for the whole family. Although she’s been in the often stressful world of retail for so long, weathering the pandemic and pivoting when her lease changed hands, she still loves it as much or more than when she started, sharing, “I’ve been fortunate to combine my love for people and fashion into my dream job. One of the most rewarding parts of my work is that I get to see and interact with friends every day—our customers truly feel like friends. They come to us because they trust and value not only my opinion but also the expertise and care of our staff. We’ve created an environment that’s welcoming, fun, and friendly, and that’s what keeps me passionate after 20 years."
In that time she says, “I’ve learned the critical importance of convenience in every aspect of the business. From location and parking to store hours and the checkout process, everything needs to be seamless and customer-focused.”
Stephanie plans on the new store to being the boutique’s final evolution. She says her favorite part about it is, “Each space has its own unique vibe and aesthetic, seamlessly reflecting the clothing it houses. The men’s section is designed to be contemporary and masculine, while the kids' area is colorful and vibrant. At the same time, the intentional connections between the spaces create a cohesive experience. I also love the flexibility of the movable elements—when open, they create a wonderful flow for parties and events, but when closed, they provide privacy and distinction between each area.”
Look out for many fun events at the new space, from a grand opening celebration this month, to a monthly book club for kids and of course, the sip & shops for fun and philanthropy.
Find estilo at: 2727 Exposition Blvd #121, Austin, TX 78703 and follow on Instagram at @estilo_austin