The Story of Style Apricot Lane Boutique in Franklin showcases possibilities
By Jane Lebak
Nestled behind the Starbucks on East Central Street is Franklin’s fashion treasure, Apricot Lane Boutique.
“Style is about expressing yourself in your own way,” says Marta McNulty, owner of Apricot Lane. “Women can be very individual in the ways they mix and match their clothing, and that’s a part of the Apricot Lane experience”
Marta’s store opens into world of colors and possibilities, with every display a clever match of hues and textures that creates the unified whole of a great outfit. “People step into my boutique, and it’s as if they’re visiting a friend,” says Marta. “I want my customers to feel relaxed and to be delighted by all the possible ways to combine the pieces they see.”
Marta traces her style back to her childhood. “I grew up in Poland during the time of civil unrest, when there wasn’t a lot of clothing for children. My mother could sew, though, and my grandmother could sew. They’d make my clothes by cutting apart adult clothing, or from any fabric they could find.”
It was in those times of mixing and matching, of blending colors and textures in unexpected ways, that Marta uncovered her passion. After graduating college in Poland, she traveled to Massachusetts and became a visual merchandiser, beginning with H&M at their flagship store in Boston, and then for Bloomingdale’s for seven years. “I would create the sales floor layouts and experiment with the way pieces were put together--on tables, fixtures, and mannequins inside the store, and in the store windows displays. I learned the importance of color combinations or having variations representing a style all together in one section, to offer inspirations for outfit combinations.”
The pandemic changed everything. “I took time to consider what I always dreamed about,“ Marta said, “and it was to open my own fashion spot, where I could thoughtfully pick items that my customers would be excited about!”
Apricot Lane blends modern styles with boho feminine vibes, using a delightful mix of contemporary pieces cleverly combined to give the wearer her own distinct look.
“I love piecing what top goes together with what bottom, or what jacket to layer over a dress,” says Marta. “I assemble these looks as buying suggestions for inspiration, but the magic happens when my customer gets inspired to create her own.”
Apricot Lane’s spacious rooms allow for plenty of try-ones, and there’s even space to park a stroller. “For toddlers, we’ll make up a scavenger hunt,“ says Marta. “I’ll say, let’s find a necklace with a bird, and that way, I’ll entertain in the kids while their mom is trying things on.”
It’s the relationship with her customers that makes Marta’s boutique stand out. “So many customers will stop in and talk about their daughters or catch me up on their lives,” says Marta, “and that gives me a window to understand how they want to look and how they want to feel.”
Because Marta chooses all her stock individually, this store is a snapshot of what local woman are wearing. “The national trends are about mainstream,” she says, “but I notice the local trends, and I gear Apricot Lane Boutique in Franklin towards those. I want a cute shop that carries not just what other boutiques are carrying, but the items that are relevant to shoppers in our town and neighboring areas.”
The selection varies, some casual, some dressy, but always cutting edge. “Customers can see our fashion selection on our Facebook or Instagram pages, but it’s not enough just to look. They want to come in and touch it, feel the quality, and try it on.”
Marta says, “I help my customers pay attention to the details. The right belt or a tiny pendant can pull together the whole look. A woman comes out of the dressing room wearing a new outfit and smile, and she says, ‘This is who I wanted to be all along.’”
Apricot Lane posts their fashions on Instagram and Facebook, under @ApricotLaneFranklin. The store is located at 342 East Central Street in Franklin.
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
