Showroom Owner Opens French Quarter Boutique

The owner of the Los Angeles–based June Moda showroom in the California Market Center has opened her first retail store.

June Kim introduced the French Quarter juniors and contemporary boutique at the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, Calif., on Nov. 16 with a fashion show and party.

The 3,000-square-foot location sells French-made clothing under the store’s private label, as well as jewelry, belts, hats, handbags and, eventually, shoes.

Kim said the competition in Los Angeles forced her to pick Irvine as her first location, where she felt the demographics and opportunity for growth were stronger.

“We’re already saturated in Los Angeles, and Irvine has an expanding mall and a growing nearby population that doesn’t have a lot of boutiques,” she said.

The decor of the store is anything but understated, with plum-colored floors, red walls, a crystal chandelier and silk shantung curtains in the dressing room. Kim has incorporated antique furnishings in the layout, items she also plans to sell. Boutique touches include gift-wrapping; complimentary coffee, tea and candies; and a comfortable sitting area to cater to the males accompanying female shoppers.

Prices range from $29 for tanks and T-shirts, to $80 and up for skirts, to $1,500 for beaded gowns, fur coats and leather pants.

Kim, a designer by trade, has ambitious plans to open some 24 stores across the country, with immediate locations targeted for Mission Viejo, Calif., Las Vegas and New York. For now, Kim plans to travel to Paris every month to visit her clothing sources, but eventually she would like to open her own factory to design and manufacture the clothes. She financed the $300,000 opening cost of the first store herself but for the expansion intends to seek out investors.

In spite of the difficult economy, Kim remains confident that she can hit her first-year sales projections of $1.2 million.

“People are looking for something new that they can feel good in, and I think this store could be successful if it’s done the right way and continues to offer something exciting,” she said.

Officials at the Irvine Co.–owned center say the French Quarter is the type of concept it was seeking. The restaurantand entertainment-focused complex is in the midst of an expansion plan to add more retailers. About 30 stores and restaurants are set to open through spring of 2003. —Nola Sarkisian-Miller