A growth industry
By Gretchen Ammerman
Oregon Coast TODAY
To flourish, according to the venerable Google dictionary, is to “grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.”
This definition aptly sums up the experience of self-described “serial entrepreneur” Karry Blodgette, who has opened a new version of her popular women’s clothing, shoes and accessories store among the shops in the Lincoln City Outlets.
Flourish Boutique is similar to, yet in many ways different from, Karry’s last store, Converge, which was located in Depoe Bay and closed in 2020.
“It’s been such an interesting journey — you never know where the road is going to take you,” she said. “We opened in May and it’s been amazing so far.”
Karry’s style, recognizable as lush, unique and high-quality, helped build a dedicated fan base at Converge. Her regulars, though, came for more than just retail therapy.
“At some point we realized that we had created a community,” she said. “People came in for outfits for joyful occasions like weddings or sad ones like funerals, but either way while they were in the shop they would tell stories and we became part of what was happening for them. That’s what made our customers so special to us.”
But over time, Karry was beginning to outgrow the Depoe Bay location in more ways than just physically.
“I was already planning a change, then I started hearing things at the beginning of the pandemic that frankly scared me,” she said. “I thought it would be a good time to take a breath and think about my next move. I sold everything, including my home, and moved away from the coast. I thought I was done with this community.”
But the coast kept calling until Karry answered.
She, along with her son and partner Grant Blodgette, began to envision what a new store could look and feel like.
“We opened with some basic bones then said, ‘Okay community, do you want us to carry vintage fashion, do you want modern fashion, resale, footwear’ and the answer was yes to all of them.”
The loudest voice has been from former Converge customers, who are excited about the new variety found at Flourish.
“The store is much bigger so we’ve added more looks and can reach a wider demographic,” Karry said. “I’ve always wanted to have a store that could clothe a woman in any range of sizes and now, I feel we can clothe that woman in a wider style of fashions, too. We also have mixed in some lower-priced items so we can also reach a woman with a smaller clothing budget. Soon, we will be adding vintage and resale areas in the store, which I am very excited about.”
For Karry, part of the joy of having a retail business is dreaming of a new concept, then breathing new life into it. But she knew she was opening at a challenging time, since, like so many other industries, fashion has suffered from the supply chain interruptions caused by the pandemic.
“About half of the labels that we used to carry are gone right now,” Karry said. “Things will rebuild, but at the first trade show I went to I honestly cried — there were about a third of the usual labels there.”
For the resale area, which Karry says will be a “boutique within a boutique,” she and Grant will be keeping an eye out for some of those labels, as well as classic favorites like Eileen Fisher, Free People and Michael Kors.
And for the customer who might want a little help, perhaps thinking about developing a new look for the new year, Flourish is there:
“One of the things that we love to do is make appointments for customers to meet with our stylists,” Karry said. “We can help them as little or as much as they want.”
In addition to reaching a new customer base and being closer to many of her former clients from Lincoln City, Karry is enjoying the pet-friendly policy at the outlets. Dogs are allowed in any store where food is not served.
"They are really trying to be dog-friendly and we really want to embrace that,” Karry said. “We’re acknowledging that pets are really important to people. I know how important mine is to me.”
Entering Flourish, it’s hard to imagine a customer not finding something to love, but if not, Karry says to please feel free to speak up.
“We continue to get items that the community shares with us that they want to see,” she said. “That’s what we want the store to be; something that responds to the fashion needs of our customers, but also gives them exciting new ideas.”
Flourish Boutique is located in the Lincoln City Outlets at 1500 SE East Devils Lake Road. Winter hours are daily from 11 am to 7 pm. For more information, go to lincolncityoutlets.com.