The sister-owned boutique Les Sól can be found in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis, just a short walk from Lake Harriet. Founded by two women with a dream of creating an empire they could share in, Megan Harrod and Mikaela Harrod took on opening a sustainability-focused multi-cultural babe boutique.
The women consider their shop “eccentric, but also high-end.” Looks span from llama decaled socks to Georgia O'Keeffe print-style shirts, skincare lines, candles, and feminist birthday cards. The women are a strong team and even with a 12 year age difference, Mikaela Harrod wears the title Creative Director of Les Sól, and Megan considers herself its Marketing Wizard. Finding a name that fit the shop’s collision of multi-cultural style and the sisters’ three favorite elements—earth, water, and fire—Les Sól was chosen. Sól is Polish for salt and sol is Spanish for sun, as is sol in French for ground, floor, earth and soil.
In reflecting on how the shop came to be, they credit strong female influences that have brought them to where they are today. “My sister, growing up, I was like her second mom,” Megan said. “Our mom was working so much and has been one of those people for us who has been a huge influence on how we are and how we tackle changes.” Their mom, worked as a nurse-midwife, and watching her drive and purpose in her work drove the women to search for that purpose of their own.
“She’s a strong woman and has always instilled in us that nothing is impossible, and that you can always blaze your own path,” Megan said.
From a young age, Mikaela would sketch dresses and outfits in her notebook and later completed a degree in Fashion Design from the University of Minnesota. “We always loved fashion,” said Megan.
Both Megan and Mikaela each worked and had experience at clothing boutiques and following college graduation, Mikaela brought up starting a boutique to Megan. Mikaela had found herself at a crossroads, not looking to jump into the corporate world and also wanting to be her own boss, blazing her own path. Fashion, travel and sustainability are not only core values of Les Sól, but also of the sisters’ lives.
“We wanted to create this space that allowed women in all forms from all walks of life to come and feel like they could be beautiful no matter what their space, size, or anything was,” Megan said. “My sister is so passionate about helping women.”
Their grandmother, another influence whom both had been close to, passed away in late 2019. “She was feisty, kind of powerful, woman,” Megan said. She also left the sisters an amount of money after her passing that was able to be invested in their passion project of Les Sól. The sum was instrumental for the business and helped to open the doors. But, right as the two started the boutique, COVID-19 unexpectedly joined the picture and complicated plans.
They launched the shop online, both harnessing their experience in content management and working with a follow brand designer friend—the women worked to stay afloat until Les Sól could physically open shop. They used Mikeala’s apartment as the shop’s first warehouse. Starting the shop online the women were able to build their brand and its following with social media, which helped them create a community that was ready to step in-store.
Once opening shop in September 2020, the women banded together with other Twin Cities boutique owners, even competitor shops, to collaborate and help each other bring in business while the world was slowing down.
The sisters soon drove their shop into the category of Twin Cities local gems, upholding the city’s slow fashion scene of sustainably focused independent makers and creators. “Probably about 95% of the businesses we carry—sustainability is a value at their core,” Megan said. “We have a large percent of BIPOC and female-owned businesses and we would like to maintain that.”
To keep the spirit of Les Sol alive outside their global-style boutique, the shop hosts Instagram Live chats @shoplessol every Thursday at 7 p.m. called Communi Tea. Viewers can expect to see some local guests hop on and lots of weekly updates on the happenings at Les Sol—plugging the community with events and new shop pieces. The sisters have also discussed beginning a speaker series and possibly starting a coffee cart in the shop.
“When we first started, we wanted to do events and create a space where people could come, not just to shop but to connect with the community, and we weren't able to do that because of the pandemic,” Megan said. “We’ve been creative in hosting markets that feature local designers that were not able to carry but were able to feature them for these specific events. We want to do more of that in the future…Our focal point for this is year is really getting into the swing of things and bringing the community together so that we can learn and grow from each,” Megan said. “It’s been missing for the last year and a half, two years now.”
The shop kicked off its Spring season at the end of March by hosting a pop-up with the Minneapolis thrift boutique, Legacy, where the women get to bring out cool drinks, turn up the springtime beats and bring awareness to their sustainable products.
For more, visit www.shoplessol.com. In person, enter on 44th and Upton. 4353 Upton Ave S UNIT 104. (612) 925-4455.
