While entrepreneur Annie Boswell studied business management and administration, and apparel merchandising at Auburn University, she credits her father with teaching her much of what she knows about the business world. Since he is an entrepreneur in the finance industry, Boswell says she has always looked up to her father and his achievements. “He is super supportive. When I was scared to start my latest venture, he told me to just go for it. If I don’t do it now, I never will,” Boswell says.
Her admiration for her father led her to name her latest clothing boutique after him. Boswell initially launched The Blake as an online boutique while waiting to find just the right spot for a brick-and-mortar location in her hometown of Sandy Springs, Georgia. She sells women’s and infant’s clothing, accessories and gift items. Her products fill a need in the local community for upscale apparel from notable designers.
Today, she meets and greets customers at The Blake’s retail location on Roswell Road in a revitalized strip mall that is the epicenter of daily living. It has an ice cream shop, nail salon, hair salon and grocery store—everything women and moms need during the course of a day. “I quickly learned that women don’t love to go to the mall anymore and that I could provide the clothing and gifts they need to make their day a little better in a convenient location,” Boswell says.
This foray into the retail world is not the first for Boswell. She majored in apparel merchandising during college, where she learned about setting up retail floor plans, adjusting inventory for the market and merchandise promotion. But it was her two previous entrepreneurial ventures that taught her what she really needed to know about finding and selling the right products for the marketplace. “I’ve had the entrepreneurial spirit since I was in middle school, when I started a jewelry line that I continued to evolve throughout my high school and college years,” she says. “I also previously managed a boutique in Buckhead, where I got a chance to arrange clothing and talk to customers daily. I ran my own online boutique with a friend during COVID, but I was not fulfilled. I missed the customer interaction. That’s when I realized I was ready to have something of my own again, sold my part of the online boutique to my partner, and started The Blake.”
The Blake stocks unique and elevated women’s clothing lines with quality detailing, such as Velvet by Graham & Spencer, Oliphant, Pistola denim, Lilla P and White + Warren. The store also carries women’s shoes, which according to Boswell “fly out of the store” since there is not another local store that sells comparable products. In addition, she is soon to announce a new clothing line in the fall that hails from Australia.
It’s important to Boswell to support small, local businesses, so she carries accessories from local designers at The Blake. Shoppers can peruse traditional and mini silk scarves from luxury source CB Grey, statement earrings and necklaces from jewelry designer Audrey Allman, leisure day dresses from Sitano and much more. The Blake also carries accessories from larger brands such as Jenny Bird jewelry and palm sun hats from Sunshine Tienda.
The shop is somewhat of a family affair. Boswell’s mother, who is the buyer for The Blake’s baby room, brings her expertise from previously owning a maternity store in Buckhead. Boswell’s sister and aunt often work in the store, while her mother has stocked the baby room with infant through size 4T clothing and gifts such as baby blankets, toys, books and hair bows for little girls. “The baby room is a hit for those looking to buy a cute, unique gift for a shower. We are in the process of expanding it,” Boswell explains.
Boswell extends that family atmosphere to her customer base. “Our employees often become super close with our customers,” she says. “Our customers are more than just a sale to us. We like to hear what’s going on in their lives. I know a lot of them personally since I grew up right down the street.”
She makes sure to have the perfect mix of choices for these loyal customers by constantly learning while reading fashion blogs, spending her off time shopping online at other stores (a task she cleverly calls market research), and attending the Atlanta apparel and gift markets. “I never miss a show, and I always pick up a new line every time I go,” she says. “I receive new items in the boutique every day, so there is always something to see on the shop floor.”
While Boswell’s diligence in staying up to date with the latest products and styles benefits her local customers, it also is delightful for the 20% of her customer base who are spread across the country and purchase products through the website. The boutique stays open late one Thursday night each month to allow her local working customers a chance to leisurely shop after normal business hours. “I tell everyone to follow our social media accounts because that is where I announce the dates of monthly Sip-and-Shops,” Boswell says.
For their part, her customers have glowing recommendations for shopping at The Blake. As one customer says: “Love The Blake! Every time I walk in, it’s a totally new store. They have the best basics and really great items for special occasions. The only problem is that I never leave empty-handed! I love the staff, too. They are always so helpful and give honest feedback on how things look on me.”
Boswell has seen the success of her diligence and is now looking forward to the possibility of opening a second location in the near future. “I wake up and work hard and can see the results of that effort. I take pride in hard work, and it gives me the freedom to be able to travel with my husband in our off time,” she says. “It’s hard being an entrepreneur, especially during the first year when everything feels like a whirlwind. But as I have gotten a few years under my belt, I have learned how to better prioritize my time to find a happy work-life balance. That’s not to say there aren’t still challenges or new things to learn. I’m always looking for ways to improve the business.” In addition to traveling, Boswell finds quiet enjoyment in activities like reading murder mysteries, baking, walking daily and spending time at the dog park with her two fur babies, which all give her time to refresh and be reinvigorated for the retail world.
“I always wanted to come back to the Atlanta area after finishing school,” she says. “It was worth the wait to find the perfect space to open The Blake.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
