Where others saw gridlocked traffic on the Vancouver-Portland Interstate 5 commute, Sherri Harvey-Weiser saw an opportunity to open a high-end boutique in Vancouver.
“It used to be great to buzz over to Portland, but with traffic nowadays, you can’t,” she said.
Since its October 2006 opening, Harvey-Weiser’s shop, Studio 7 Boutik, has showcased lines of responsibly-made, locally-created fashion – including offerings from Vancouver-based Rahzo. The store caters to men and women.
Harvey-Weiser, who has 25 years of experience in the professional beauty industry, said her store provides a shopping experience larger corporations can’t match.
“You can come here and stay awhile,” she said. “There aren’t fluorescent lights and screaming babies. We serve drinks. People can come in and visit and feel comfortable.”
Harvey-Weiser runs the business with the help of two part-time employees and said operations haven’t changed in light of the shaky economy, but did say sales might be down as much as 10 percent. She declined to share further financial information.
However, curious shoppers at nearby businesses continue to discover the store and Harvey-Weiser has plans to add a location near Ridgefield next year.
The store’s hottest good is the William Rast denim apparel line for men and women, from which Harvey-Weiser said she sells 30 pieces of denim a week.
“If you invest in a great pair of jeans or a great shirt, you have it forever,” she said.
Harvey-Weiser also incorporates her love of animals into the business – a percentage of the store’s sales are deposited into a nonprofit fund assisting pet owners with expensive animal operations.
The store paid for a leg amputation and chemo and radiation treatments for a customer’s Rottweiler with cancer, an offer she extends to any customer having to make a decision between saving a furry friend and financial obligation.
“I stay late with customers,” she said. “I open early for them if I need to. I don’t choose designers who aren’t passionate about what they do.”
Studio 7 Boutik is located at 16219 SE 12th St., Suite 103, in Vancouver. Harvey-Weiser can be reached at 360-892-7775.
Collin Rickman can be contacted at 360-448-6009.
