Twin Cities' fashion boutique moving into Peace Plaza storefront
Style on the plaza year round — that's what downtown visitors can expect with the opening of a new women’s fashion boutique in the former O&B Shoes space.
The founders of Primp Boutique plan to open their first Rochester location this November, just in time for the holiday season. It will be the seventh store for owners Michele Gudmundson and Wesley Uthus, and their first outside the Twin Cities metro area.
Photo: The Med City Beat
The two friends told us there's been a lot of buzz in the Twin Cities' media about Rochester recently, and they are excited about the changes expected under DMC.
"This location was really the perfect fit for us," said Gudmundson, pointing to the presence of the Mayo Clinic as well as events like Thursdays on First & 3rd. "There's so much happening down here."
Gudmundson and Uthus opened their first store in St. Paul back in 2010 with a combined $16,000. Since then, Primp has expanded to White Bear Lake, Woodbury, Excelsior, St. Louis Park and Minneapolis.
Photo: St. Louis Park location/ Primp
The stores offer fashionable "cheap-chic" clothing and accessories. Most items are under $100.
Primp has its own in-house apparel line, Henry + Martin, that makes up about 15 percent of its inventory. Their stores also feature collection of Minnesota and Midwest tops, jewelry and home goods, all of which are designed in house and printed locally.
O&B Shoes, which had occupied the Peace Plaza storefront since the late 1970s, recently moved its downtown shop to a street-level space inside the Kahler Grand Hotel.
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(Cover photo: The Med City Beat)
