Walking into Collette feels a bit like walking into your aunt’s flat. This is assuming that your aunt is incredibly chic, moonlights as a decorator, and lives somewhere in France, perhaps sandwiched between a patisserie and an antique shop. The racks at Collette are adorned with tops bearing feminine details and bohemian touches. Meanwhile, the walls and surfaces are an eclectic mix of antique mirrors and home decor. You can find Free People, Theme, and Glam, among other brands, and the decorations that aren’t fixed can be purchased as well. But the true treasure at Collette cannot be bought, it is found in the hearts and minds of its imaginative owners, Amy and Sheila Jesionowski.
The two have been linked for over twenty years, brought together as sisters-in-law, but until recently, their relationship was limited to family reunions every few years. Each lived a separate life, nearly on opposite ends of the country.
Sheila graduated from Purdue University with a master’s degree in social work, and a winding path brought her to the opening of Collette in 2006. Sheila worked in Indianapolis and provided pediatric Hospice care for four years. But something was missing, she said, “ I became very burned out on it, so I started working at a boutique in Indianapolis.” It was there that she found, that retail on a small setting became her creative outlet. When her daughter started school at Purdue, Sheila recalled, “ She would have to take the bus 45 minutes to get to the mall.” Thus the location for the first Collette was decided. In her words, the goal was to create a store where, even if you’re not looking to purchase something you enjoy being in that atmosphere. Success came in many forms, from being voted the Best Women’s Fashion Boutique in West Lafayette to the customers she considers dear friends.
In Tucson, Amy was forging her own path. A University of Arizona Alum, she graduated with a Masters in business, but said, “I knew my calling at the time was the kids, to be home with them.” That calling lead to a 15-year adventure called motherhood, however when her youngest son started kindergarten she found herself with an abundance of time. This abundance lead to the purchase of antiques stores.
It wasn’t until May 2010 that Amy and Sheila combined forces when a family event brought them together in Chicago. What followed was a flurry of phone calls, emails, and countless pictures exchanged that resulted in the opening of Collette on University just a few weeks ago. Amy became the legs of the operation, responsible for finding the space and outfitting the store. She said much of the décor can be accredited to her former antique store. “I closed my antique store in anticipation of opening this one, so prior to that I went back and kept back everything that I wanted to use. “ There is certainly nothing generic about Collette’s charming vintage feel. Each piece from the curving wrought iron racks, to the circular hanging dressing rooms rescued from salvage, was lovingly selected and found in Tucson.- move up-
When discussing their entrepreneurship the Jesionowskis smiled and said so many people have shared with them their personal desires to have a “little” place like their shop, like the responsibility of owning a store is comparable to a puppy or a goldfish. Though Collette may seem like a fairytale come true, often Amy and Sheila are the ones playing Cinderella, pre-prince charming status. According to Amy, “I think you have to wear a ton of hats; you have to market, you have to merchandise, you’re everything from the janitor, to the financial CEO when you are a business owner.“ Though lessons learned through the years have been countless, Sheila also has words of wisdom to pass down to aspiring business owners. “It’s a leap of faith, do your research, in the end, you just have to take the plunge because there are no guarantees,” she said.
Amy and Sheila are flourishing examplesthat your college major does not necessarily set the course for the rest of your life. In the end it comes down to finding a profession that suits your strengths, challenges you, and is fulfilling at the end of the day. Through enthusiasm in their voices and the smiles on their faces it is easy to tell that the Jesionowskis have found their niche in boutique ownership. Amy said of life and college, “I think it’s the rare person who gets the degree that leads to the job that they stay in, if I had to go back to college today and study something, I’m 45, I still don’t know what I would pick”. Visiting Collette is a reminder that life’s passion comes in many forms, at least one of which is unique and fashionable.
Collette can be found at 905 E. University Blvd. Suite 125 (the old Ed Hardy Outlet) and is open from Monday through Saturday 11- 8 and Sunday 12 – 6.
Visit their website at http://colletteclothing.com/