Queenie & Pearl is a name that has been taking hold of the Minneapolis shopping scene over the last year. The fully women-owned and run shop is a funky town for all things new, second-hand and Tik-Tok certified cool. Located close to Lake Harriet, on 50th and Xerxes, Queenie & Pearl is the perfect place to stop in while out and about or say…for a Galentine’s Day excursion.
Lisa Banwell, the founder of Queenie & Pearl, has been a vintage scavenger for years, having spent much of her life caravanning around the country in search of funky finds.
“Queenie and Pearl started as a pop-up and it was primarily vintage. I collected and styled pieces for thirty years, and just decided I’m not going to get any younger. I’m going to go for my dream,” said Banwell.
An avid traveler, Banwell had long dreamed of starting her own shop to share her creative finds from across the nation with her Minneapolis community—and in 2016 that dream became a reality. She started her shop as a rock n’ roll themed pop-up that would be rolled out at festivals and markets around the Twin Cities.
She then took a swing at having a permanent pop-up within the now-closed boutique, Style Hunt, which is where the dream started to come alive.
“This is not what anyone would suggest as a good idea,” Banwell said. “I started thinking I really wanted to do my own store and I saw this storefront and was like ‘I love it. That’s the one I want.’”
In 2018, Banwell’s wild babe haven was born and the theme of the store—an ode to all women who dare to live on the wild side. The name Queenie & Pearl is in dedication to real rocker chicks Queenie Glam—groupie gal for the Rolling Stones, and Pearl—a nickname for the rock artist Janis Joplin.
“Whenever I go to a city I always want to find that cute little shop, that gem. I wanted us to be that,” Banwell said.
Soon after opening, Banwell found that her place was becoming just that, a gem. Girls would come in to do photoshoots in front of the store’s “positive affirmations” wall of mirrors art installation by MOTIV MIRROR and try on bold outfits for their friends. Queenie and Pearl became known as a place of free expression and female energy.
Banwell considers the store’s crew to be a small band of female creatives who all found each other, whether it be through artist-store collabs or local fashion shows. Her team has found themselves designing the Queenie & Pearl vibe from setting up modeling shoots for new merchandise to building the brand’s online persona.
One of the coolest aspects of the store is that the pieces come in from throughout the country and are hand-selected by Banwell as if the store were her closet. “I don’t do a lot of buying from people. I go and find it,” Banwell said. “I do a lot of road trips each year. I pick different geographical locations, and just look for cool stuff.”
Banwell treks out on multiple road trips a year, her favorite spot being the West Coast. “I am a fan of any podunk town that I can roll into,” Banwell said. She grabs her Jeep and a pair of sunnies, planning to pack the Jeep full with the best unique finds along the way and cruises back home to share her femme fatale finds with the masses. But, Queenie & Pearl is more than just vintage finds, and the entire first floor of the store is curated new clothing and accessories.
Banwell has also brought in some modern but rare pieces and items from local creatives—from fashion to jewelry, to art. “We have about twenty different local makers that have their products in the store. We support local artists,” Banwell said.
Some local artists that are currently displayed in the shop are Fox and Fables, Natalie Fine Shapiro, SutRang and MOTIV MIRROR. “We like to give a space for those who haven’t had a lot of exposure,” Banwell said.
The Queenie & Pearl team also take part in community philanthropy. “When we hit goals, we as a team decide what organization a percent of our sales should go toward. We primarily are interested in groups that uplift women and children, and then groups that support mental health access,” Banwell said.
Banwell has big goals for 2022. Queenie & Pearl plan on bringing in new art installations, hosting artist collaboration events, heating up the store’s social media, mainly through Tik-Tok—and the banger, opening up a sister shop in another city.
Whether you’re a Queenie or a Pearl, we suggest you give the shop a whirl.
5014 Xerxes Ave S. Minneapolis. (612) 413-8560. Queenieandpearl.com or @queenieandpearlmn.