Nearly hidden in a mostly residential area, about half a mile from Ventura Boulevard, is a small collection of trendy fashion retailers and popular eateries. It’s on Tujunga Avenue in Studio City, on a block that stretches the length of a football field. Among the shops is Limelight Boutique, an upscale women’s fashion retailer. Inside the shop, women can browse brands not carried at most department stores. And in classic, ritzy boutique fashion, shoppers are offered a glass of wine while they roam the 800-square-foot store. The business is a family affair, run by Cindy Soler and her husband Paco, a fashion industry veteran. Their 22-year-old daughter and two other relatives work at the store that opened nearly two and a half years ago. Cindy Soler commutes from her Palos Verdes home, but believes the location is ideal for her upscale but not wildly expensive apparel. “There are a lot of working women that have means here,” she said. Limelight carries handmade jackets and tunics by her husband and a variety of bigger brands, including Splendid, a mid-level priced line owned by VF Corp. and Banana Blue, an Australian brand that offers tops that sell for more than $200. An outfit at Limelight could cost $500. The location on Tujunga may not seem ideal for a fashion retailer, given that Ventura Boulevard draws most of the community’s foot traffic. But Soler said Aroma Coffee & Tea Co. and Vitello’s Restaurant, successful businesses that have been on the block for decades, bring a lot of foot traffic to her store. Esther Walker, executive director of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce, said the Tujunga strip has a different flavor than much of the rest of the community, which has seen outlets from national retailers such as Urban Outfitters Inc. and Gap Inc. increase in recent years. “There are definitely a lot more chain stores now,” she said. “But mom-and-pops still have a great following here.” Slow start Fashion has been in the family for more than 20 years. Paco Soler has spent much of his life on the wholesale side of the business, distributing to retailers across Los Angeles and working trade shows. Then in September of 2010, after hanging a few items inside the art studio that formerly occupied the site, the couple pooled together about $55,000 and leased the entire space. Opening a clothing boutique was a lifelong dream for Cindy Soler, 56, who spent much of her adult life at home raising a family. Sales rose 10 percent last year, and she now sells about $25,000 in clothing a month. But the first few months were not easy. “It was a big struggle early on,” she said. “But we weathered the storm and sales are rising.” Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst for the market research firm NPD Group Inc. of Port Washington, N.Y., said women’s boutiques are resilient, given that they are able to carry items that simply can’t be found in larger outlets. What’s more, something he calls the “Rolls-Royce effect” plays a roll into the success of an upscale boutique like Limelight. “You don’t need to sell a lot of $100 shirts to make rent,” he said. Cohen said women’s fashion was one of the last segments of the economy to return since the recession. He predicts that retailers such as Limelight will see an increase in sales this year. “Frugal fatigue and pent-up demand has set in,” he said. “Women want to buy boutique clothing.” Cindy Soler believes she can grow sales too. She is working to remodel the 400-square-foot backroom in the store to add more space to the sales floor. With the additional room, the shop would have a near 50 percent increase in available space. Limelight may carry more of its higher-end clothing or add an organic line of lotions to its offerings. She expects the renovation to be complete this summer. In addition, she plans to host an event next month to kick off the summer shopping season, which will include a lecture from a local therapist on relationships, in addition to complementary wine and cupcakes. “Women like that stuff,” she said. “It’s all about providing the personal connection with the shopper.”
