’s Oakland, California, boutique, there’s a warmth that makes it feel like home. You’re greeted by small things that make the environment feel like an inclusive shopping experience: McMullen has shades of brown mannequins throughout the store and photos of her family from Oklahoma above the accessories wall. Her goal? Relatability. “I think just even going into a specialty store, especially a luxury specialty store, many times Black womenor it doesn’t feel like an inviting environment.
Here, McMullen chats about how the industry has changed, challenges she’s faced, and what makes her shopping experience so sacred and special.Living in California now for two decades, I wanted to create something within Oakland because I felt like it was just such a great energetic city. The spirit of the city drew me in. I love that Oakland people actually support so many small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Community. Just looking at the block where our store is, there are a handful of Black female-owned businesses. It’s actually the biggest concentration of Black female businesses within Oakland, and I think once you see one or two, it really encourages others to come.