The fast fashion industry is something we should avoid and we should try to shop locally instead!
If you are looking for a boutique in the Bay Area check out Hula Boutique! It is a mother-daughter team and they have a couple of wonderful ladies who help them out on the weekends. They are also open every day. Hula Boutique is located at 6136 La Salle Ave, Oakland, CA 94611. They also have a website http://www.hulamontclair.com/index.html I had the chance to talk to the sweet owner of this boutique, Naomi and learned more about Hula!
Hula Boutique was started in September 24 years ago and has been located in Oakland ever since. Prior to Hula Boutique, Naomi's mother Andrea, who she also owns the boutique with, started a clothing store in Berkeley on College Avenue and had that for 19 years before starting Hula. Naomi grew up in fashion and spent the summers working at the store during her teenage years. Her father also had a clothing store in San Francisco for 30 years as well.
Naomi and Andrea used to live on the east coast and her mother got a part time job at a clothing store which sparked her interest in starting her own boutique. Then, they moved to California about 45 years ago and her mother opened a clothing store in California.
Naomi also mentioned how all the small businesses in the area help each other. Hula is located next to a kitchen store and a bank so people who decide to go to either of those places tend to swing by and check out Hula Boutique and vice versa.
One of Naomi's favorite places in the world is Hawaii which inspired her to name the boutique Hula. When they closed down Andrea's boutique in Berkeley, instead of naming the current boutique the same name, Naomi decided to name it after her favorite place in the world. An interior designer who needed to finish a project for his class designed the store for them. Naomi wanted it to be tropical, lots of bamboo, very green, and overall give Hawaiian vibes. Her sister was also able to find some cute tropical paintings in LA for the store.
The clothing sold at Hula Boutique can be described as, "Higher end, sophisticated, classy, one of a kind." One of their biggest lines does not sell to department stores and only sells at small boutiques. They also carry casual clothes like jeans, t-shirts, and leggings. To add on, they carry jewelry, accessories, and so more more! The age range of the clientele ranges from 25-75 year olds. Naomi mentioned that they have great gifts for friends and family and Hula also carries gift cards.
As you can see, Hula Boutique is a boutique in the Bay Area that we should try to support in any way we can!