I’m so excited to finally launch my Boutique Tours series here on Southern Flair! I watch a whole lot of Food Network and love Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, so it’s like that but for clothing boutiques! (maybe I’ll venture into video too…hmmm..)
We can all appreciate women (and men too!) who have started and who run successful businesses, so I wanted to look further into their shops and see what makes them such a success and how they stand out.
My hope is that if you’re local, you’ll discover a new favorite place! If you’re not local, you’ll have somewhere to visit when you’re in town.
First up today on the Boutique Tour series is Bombshell Boutique located in Central, La (located at 14790 Wax Rd) right near Sammy’s and Las Palmas restaurants (two very delicious options for when you’re done shopping!) Mandy Chaney officially opened the brick and mortar in June 2014 after operating within another store since 2013.
I picked Bombshell Boutique to kick off the series based on the most reliable source I could think of — Facebook! (totally kidding, never trust any “news” on Facebook). But what you can trust are customer reviews. People are real honest (too honest) on social media.
When looking at the reviews I started to see a trend. I saw lots of comments commending the boutique on “top notch customer service” and on how helpful the staff was when putting together a look or finding the perfect pair of jeans.
After meeting with Mandy it wasn’t hard to realize why her reviews were always so positive. Customer service is a top priority for her and her business in addition to making the customer feel great about herself in Bombshell Boutique clothing.
Read below for my full Q&A with Mandy!
SF: How did Bombshell Boutique begin?
Mandy: I’ve always loved fashion and clothes! My husband would start joking and saying “you spend so much money at boutiques that you should just open your own.” Three summers ago I was laying out at the pool with some girlfriends and one of my friends who owns a store that has different vendors in it asked if I would be interested in selling clothes in one of their rooms. I was so excited for the opportunity and immediately jumped on it! I realized pretty quick that I loved what I was doing and I wanted to grow and expand and have my own place. Bombshell Boutique was a brick and mortar by June 2014.
SF: What’s your favorite part of owning and operating a boutique?
Mandy: I love what I do! I love going to work every day and being around my amazing employees who have all been with me since day one. I love helping customers and helping them pick out an outfit that they fall in love with and feel beautiful in! I love to travel to markets every three months to pick out the new items for each season, although I do think that it’s probably the most stressful part about the job.
SF: Describe Bombshell Boutique’s style in three words.
Mandy: Unique, Fresh, Chic
SF: What spring/summer trends are you most excited for that we’ll see in Bombshell?
Mandy: I’m totally in love with our Spring and Summer lines! We just put out seven different styles of bathing suits and cover-ups that are so precious! The shoe selection that we have right now is pretty fabulous also! Get ready to see lots of bright colors, pastels, floral prints, lace, fringe, and suede, and my favorite this season is going to be tie dye everything! We also have an amazing purple and gold section (almost half the store) during LSU football season.
SF: What makes Bombshell Boutique unique?
Mandy: I feel that Bombshell Boutique is a fashion destination that customers truly love and feel like they get great customer service every time they walk in the door. The Bombshell Beauties who work at BB really specialize in complete outfit styling and really love helping the customers feel beautiful in their selections. It’s what we love.
SF: What can customers expect to see when they walk in?
Mandy: Customers love walking in and seeing new things to add to their wardrobe! We always have new arrivals everywhere and put out new items every single day. You can walk into BB and see all the latest in women’s fashion at affordable prices.
I personally loved the atmosphere of Bombshell Boutique. From the chandeliers and flowers to the wood floors and bright decor, it had a such a cheerful vibe (despite the gloomy rainy day). The store was organized in a way that had items group together that could be worn together (like tops near matching shorts or skirts). A lot of outfits were already accessorized, which makes shopping that much easier!
You can find Bombshell Boutique on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see their latest arrivals and styled outfits. And let me tell you these ladies have perfected the flat lay photos!
Hope you’ve enjoyed the first stop on the Southern Flair Boutique Tour! If you want more Louisiana fashion, be sure to join my Local Edition gang! This is an exclusive bi-weekly newsletter with the latest in Louisiana fashion and shopping. And there’s always AWESOME prizes for subscribers. The next one goes out tonight — join the fun here.
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Sarah | Shades of Sarah
So fun! It reminds me of a boutique here in Philly!