Chic Spotlight: Mainstream Boutique Cincinnati

Cincy Chic: What is Mainstream Boutique? 
Lori Avallone, Owner of Mainstream Boutique Cincinnati: We are a locally owned franchise of the Minnesota-based company, Mainstream Boutique, a women’s clothing boutique with the mission to Empower, Strengthen, and Celebrate the Women in our Communities Through Fashion.  

Our goal is to make a  personal connection with our shoppers, something that’s hard to obtain in a large chain retail environment, along with a personal styling experience that leaves women feeling beautiful inside and out.  We want to know your name, your favorite colors, your fit and your preferences to create a unique experience and help women look their best!

Cincy Chic: What’s the inspiration behind it?
Avallone: The Mainstream brand was inspired by our founder, Marie DeNicola, who began her career as a buyer in the fashion industry.  When her family relocated to Minnesota, she was searching for a way to use her buying experience, as well as her love of fashion and women.  She began selling women’s fashion out of her home as a direct sales company. People took notice of her success and she was even featured as a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show.  Women start contacting her to ask how they could do what she was doing, and that led to not only the first brick and mortar store, but to the franchise that now exists.

I personally fell in love with the brand when my husband and I also relocated to Minnesota.  Our local Savage, MN store opened, and I watched it and the owner grow and evolve, encompassing everything that the brand stands for.  I loved shopping there, and even more importantly, I loved the clothes!!! After a few years in Minneapolis, we returned to Ohio, and from the moment we settled back in, I started thinking about what it would be like to have my own Mainstream Boutique.  It took a few more years for me to take the first step into entrepreneurship, but I’d never lost sight of the dream – and now, here we are!

Cincy Chic: Who’s behind it?
Avallone: Our Cincinnati location is locally owned by my husband Greg and I, and although you’ll primarily see me and my stylists in the store on a daily basis, don’t be surprised if you see Greg there helping out once in a while as well.  This is truly our own small business, and it’s a passion and dream that I’ve had for years. Dreams really do come true!

We’re on the home stretch of construction, and barring any major delays, we hope to be open in the early weeks of February. We’re already unpacking and checking in product, and can’t wait to share it with our Cincinnati shoppers. You can find a preview of some of our items if you follow our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram, where we’ll also have updates and live videos on new products arriving weekly.  We won’t have traditional online sales, but we will showcase items and are always willing to pull and ship them for a flat rate for those who can’t make it to the store to see us.

Cincy Chic: Where is the Cincinnati location?
Avallone: We are located at 11358 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45249 in the Shops at Harpers Point in Symmes Township.  We’ll be open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. We’re also happy to schedule private shopping parties after hours and on Sundays, and hope to offer some fun events coordinated with other local small businesses.

Cincy Chic: What types of apparel and accessories do you carry?
Avallone: We carry Novelty Tops including Sweaters and Jackets, Dresses, Pants, Leggings, and what we’re most excited about, our private label Mac and Me Basics and Jeans.  Our private label is designed by our founder Marie and her daughter Mac, and once you try them on you’ll fall in love! We carry a variety of labels, some you may recognize and some that you may discover and fall in love with for the first time.  We also carry accessories including jewelry, bags, hats and shoes, and will keep adding additional items as we continue to grow. Our clothing items are mid-priced from $40 to $100 with occasional items below and some specialty items above.

Cincy Chic: What makes Mainstream Boutique unique?
Avallone: Aside from our private label items that you can’t buy from any other retailer are the great customer service and relationships that we hope to foster with each shopper that comes to see us.  We want to be able to give you a personal phone call if an item that you love comes in. We want to know if you enjoyed the vacation that you were buying the cute new pair of sandals for. We want to know what you want to see in our store.  

Cincy Chic: Where can readers go to learn more and follow along?
Avallone: To learn more about Mainstream Boutique, visit https://mainstreamboutique.com. You can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram.