After a dozen years in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, women’s clothing boutique Stephanie’s has opened its new location across the street at new mixed-used development, The Finn. Owner Stephanie Morrissey, a St. Paul native, founded the store to provide a go-to place to find classic looks from brands such as DVF, Nicole Miller, Ecru, and Shoshanna that are appropriate for any age, and wearable from day to night.
The new location offers several new categories and designers. She’s added designer footwear, gifts—think luxe candles and stationery by local fashion illustrator Cait Courneya—and lingerie, plus new labels including alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet, Rebecca Minkoff, and Hanky Panky underwear.
“It feels like version 2.0,” says Morrissey. “We’ve been having people ask us for shoes for a long time, but we didn’t feel that we had the capability of it before.” On adding gifts, she says, “We’ve become our customers’ personal stylist. If someone is picking up a holiday outfit here, they figure they’ll knock out some of their holiday shopping at the same time.”
I spotted some bold, fashion-forward items on the store’s gleaming brass fixtures, such as a black top with fuchsia fur puffs by Alice + Olivia and a two-tone cashmere top by Majestic Paris, which is known for its ultra-luxe tees. “We try to stay pretty classic, but with the new space, we wanted to kick it up a notch with some edgier pieces,” she says.
At the end of the day, thought, Morrissey promises she’s staying true to Stephanie’s loyal clientele. “We want to maintain our own style,” she says. “Everyone’s kind of pushing that minimalist thing, which I appreciate, but it’s not really us. We just want to be focused on what our customers really want: desk to dinner.”
Mark your calendars: A grand opening is planned for September 30.
Now open @ The Finn, 735 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul, 651-690-3802, stephaniesshop.com
