If you want to feel like you’re shopping through your best friend’s closet, look no further than Scarlett Moon Boutique.
Mother-daughter duo Stephanie and Kayla Pfeifer decided to venture into the world of selling apparel last fall when Kayla, who graduated from the University of Illinois, shared her desire to get into the marketing side of business.
“This was something that was kind of a joint effort. I could put more into the footwork, and she could do some of the marketing,” Stephanie said.
Finding clothes to sell is different than finding clothes to buy, though.
Stephanie said with four females who like to shop in the family, there are diverse tastes that hand-pick the items.
“We each have our own style, so it’s been good to have her pick some things out and I pick some things out,” she said. “Then we have a bigger span.”
Stephanie said finding the right piece isn’t just about finding something to sell, it’s about the right pattern, design or fit.
“I don’t know until I see it,” she said.
For a second opinion, the Pfeifers often turn to friends who work at salons just to make sure the item is enticing.
“It’s also a lot of fun to say, ‘I have this friend who I think this will look good on,’ then send her a picture and see what she thinks,” Stephanie said.
After finding suppliers who provide quality materials, the Pfeifers stocked up with seasonal items before hosting their first boutique events.
Scarlett Moon, located at 1412 Cross Creek Rd., opened in the fall of 2017 inside the Pfeifer home with an event for neighbors, friends and families.
Events are what carried Scarlett Moon in the beginning months. The owners took their inventory to the Boutique Bash at the Mercantile in Monticello and to Salon 105 during Village Christmas in early December.
But with growing demand, Scarlett Moon will now partner with Flora Design Studio. With a few items in store now, Stephanie said that soon more items will be located in a back room of the floral studio.
Stephanie said customers not only enjoy the apparel available through Scarlett Moon, but they also enjoy the versatility of the boutique.
“It’s a more personal experience,” she said. “You can say, ‘my friend has this new clothing boutique.’ You can bring your friends. You can come shop at my house. You can have an event in your home. Whatever you want to do, it’s a little more versatile than just going to the store.”
While the items available change often, and although the Pfeifers will have more items available at Flora soon, one thing will never change about Scarlett Moon: the doors to their boutique will continue to be open at home and online.
Customers are welcome to contact Stephanie to set up a time to shop through messages on Facebook or Instagram. She also said she is available by text at 217-454-9999.
“It’s a lot of fun because we get to dress people,” she said.
