A Lilly Pulitzer store finally opened at our mall! Here is Lil Petunia and the Lilly jeep outside of the store. (Yes, we went to the mall after school!) I didn't go to the new store on grand opening day last Friday because that day I was busy getting everything ready for Lil P's birthday slumber party. I generally avoid crowds anyway, so the day that we went (a few days after opening day) was perfect!
The store is sooooo pretty. Sorry for my poor day-glo quality iPhone pictures!
One of the dressing rooms has a beautiful mural of that famous picture of Lilly in her original boutique. Here is the original photograph below!
Lil P took full advantage of having the drawing table all to herself and decorated her own Lilly shift dress.
These girls dresses are prettier IRL--the colors came out kinda crazy here!
The corporate stores are so lovely and pretty, but I have to say that I also really love the quaint individually-owned signature stores (like C. Orrico in Palm Beach, Palm Patch in Metairie, etc.) and I feel badly that corporate Lilly is opening up stores in the same areas as their Signature stores. The Signature stores are having a hard time competing, and it is amazing that some of them are still in business. I remember when there were no corporate stores, and we used to get so excited to visit a new Lilly boutique while we were on vacation. It was special when it was not so readily available at every shopping mall alongside Gap etc. I don't know if I'm making much sense, but those who have loved Lilly for a long time might understand...
I'd like to hear from some other long time Lilly-lovers out there. What do you think about all of the corporate stores opening? Will they push the little guys out of business?
26 comments:
what i know about lilly, i am learing through gingersnap. I am afraid to explore deeper for fear that i'll be hooked (smile). Oh, but I must say that your daughter is oh so adorable!!!!
Well I've never been to a corporate store- never even seen one. But I know what you mean. It feels more special when it is harder to find. Plus I have a thing about supporting local businesses. Then again...let's remember I have never actually seen a big shiny corporate store so what do I know?
Also- do you realize that you and Miss Janice live near each other? She took pics in the store last week. Small world.
That is just diiiiiivine!!! Xoxo-BLC
My Emma just flipped for the Jeep - finally a Jeep that she wants! So thank you so much for sharing all the pics!!! Sounds like fun day you & LP had...
I've never bought anything LP at Bloomies - I feel so so- in the corp stores you have more options- in the small shops you can get better sales.
BUT while I was in the corp shop at my mall, I was looking for a skirt and actually had someone from HQ helping me and I told her point blank- they didn't make anything suitable for tall people because the skirts were always too short and I showed her what a normal person (not a stick model) looks like and she said it was definitely on the short side and would see about maybe making some skirts on the longer side for taller women!
so that was a positive experience.
I just had to remark that lil Petunia is an absolute doll!
I don't really know much about the corp stores vs. non-corp stores. Interesting, though.
The mural in the store is so pretty and I love it that Lil P can color her own dress. I kinda want to color one too. :)
Lil P is so cute!!! I love this post...I cannot wait till my version of lil p (CW) is old enough to come out and shop with me in the mecca of all things pink and green! :) Have a great weekend!
What a fun Jeep. Little P. looks darling as usual....I'm a big fan of shopping at little shops/boutiques. I use to love Magazine Street in NOLA. That's too bad about Lilly P. going corporate. I remember my sister and I use to love the GAP before they got big. We use to buy all our school clothes at the first GAP in San Francisco (before they went outlet on us). We loved the warehouse district b/c we would find the funky shops filled with cool unique things. I hope Lilly P. doesn't lose its personality but I'll do my best by giving my business to the little guy. Thanks for the heads up.
I prefer smaller local stores, there's something to say for being exclusive!
Very fun! I wish we had something like that (or a smaller Lilly boutique) around here! I would looove to take my girls shopping there surrounded by all those fun prints and colors :)
Interesting. I've never been to a Lilly corporate myself, but I'll have to scout one out next time I'm traveling to compare with my local mini-chain, In the Pink.
I just posted it.
I love the pictures--it actually makes ME want to buy a lilly (shocker!!)
I agree with you. Its hard for them to compete. I do wish selfishly that a Lilly store would open at my mall though because it would be seconds away! DAN-GER-OUS! LOL!
I completely agree! I love lilly and always will....and pass the love on to my daughters! But...I remember when I could ONLY find lilly at the Kiawah Straw Market outside of Charleston, SC. It was even more special then! Now it is in our Belk. I will keep buying though, and look forward to visiting a new store this weekend on a business trip. PS: thanks for the visit. Your daughter is beautiful!
I am glad your had fun at the new store and I love the shift, coloring table! I am split on the Lilly stores. I will forever LOVE Melly, but in Dallas we only have corporate stores so I adore them too!
I work at a locally owned Lilly store and luckily there isn't a corporate store near us! We are the largest store in the country so we have the advantage that the corporate stores have in that we can offer a lot of merchandise. But since we are individually owned we still have those great sales! I think the thing that will end up hurting the little guys the most is that you can now shop on Lilly's website- a year ago you couldn't! Sad!
OH, what LOVELY pictures!!! As for the corporate/boutique store issue...Lilly is so very hard to find out here I am happy to find it where ever I can! I wish we could get more of EITHER!!!! It would be lovely to have a boutique...they often have more personal service.
Ok- I blogged about C Orrico's too! As you know I did not attend the grand-opening either. I am a HUGE supporter of boutiques.
I mentioned your blog..hope you don't mind...but you put is nicely! xxx me
I nearly went into a Lilly store here at the mall because I saw it and thought of you. You have interesting points here. I think it really just comes down to money. Like everything else. Maximum profit. Sad but true.
I have two Lilly stores fairly close to where I live. A signature store that has been around for a very long time, and a corporate store that has been open for about 2 years. Honestly, I never liked going to the privately owned sign. store, since the owner/ employees have always been very snooty/ uppity to whomever walks into this store. Plus they would follow you around like their customers were criminals.. I really did not go there that often, since I loathe people like that. I think it extremely rude, and just b/c I am younger than the average person living in this town, doesn't mean I don't have money to spare;-) Needless to say, they did not get a lot of my business..I was thrilled when the corp. store opened, and the girls there are some of the nicest out there. They make you feel welcome and always go the extra mile. To me, as much as like to support local businesses, it boils down to service, which Lilly corporate is just awesome at. At least where I live...
Is In the Pink a corporate store? I'm not sure. I do know remember the boutiques. My little one loves going to ITP with me because everything is so pink and that girl loooves pink! I only wish the girls who worked in our local store were nicer, they do not add to the shopping experience, unfortunately.
Anonymous ~~ I, too, have experienced the "Pretty Woman" treatment at certain boutiques and agree that it is quite off-putting. If I feel intimidated by the people who work in a store I will not likely shop there, or at least not as often as I would with friendly employees. It is too bad that your local signature store doesn't realize this! Their loss!! :(
Ooops...I shop at all Lilly stores! Now, you simply must e-mail me the photos of Lil Petunia at Lilly. I would love to show them for my "Lilly Photo of the Week" posts. She is soooo cute, you simply must!
Your daughter should be a Lily Pulitzer Model..then she could get all her clothes for free! smile
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