Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Monroe and Erin Pisani, owners of K Marie Boutique.
Hi Karen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hi! We are Karen and Erin from K Marie Boutique. We are a mother/daughter duo who own this company and LOVE every second of working together (yes, we really do!). Karen has been involved in the jewelry/accessories world for the last 25 years. Erin has a background in marketing and social media. Right before the pandemic hit (think end of 2019 when we had NO clue what was coming), Erin was laid off from her corporate job. At the time, Karen was selling jewelry and a few clothing items to a customer base she had grown while working for Silpada Designs as one of the company’s top representatives. When Erin was laid off, she joined Karen with the plan to look for other opportunities in the marketing realm. Little did they know the world was about to shut down, and the pandemic hit! Erin and Karen quickly decided to pivot and start selling more clothing than accessories, focusing on cute and affordable items to get ladies in their community through the covid-craziness.
The two went live on Facebook daily just to create a sense of community. Yes, they showed clothing and accessories, but the main purpose was to provide connection in a world where you truly couldn’t get it. Through the lockdown, they hosted fun virtual happy hours, read inspiration, and laughed with women of all ages. Word spread quickly, and their business took off!
In February of 2020, a rebrand happened, a website was launched, and K Marie Boutique was officially born. K, coming from Karen, and Marie coming from Erin’s middle name.
The two have always had a relationship of true friendship. Even from a young age, people asked parenting tips on how to truly parent but also be a best friend to your kids like Karen and Erin had. What makes this boutique special is how that relationship and family component is in every aspect of their business. K Marie’s goal is to make every woman feel like they’re a part of the family.
Now three and a half years later, K Marie has a booming online business as well as a storefront in Spring, TX. They sell everything from size-inclusive clothing to accessories and home decor.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Launching a business during the pandemic was ANYTHING but easy. These two struggled to find exactly where they fit in, but quickly found a niche of making a family feel out of their business. In a time when people couldn’t leave their houses, had to celebrate birthdays in driveways, and seeing friends was out of the question, Karen and Erin made themselves the go-to spot for connection, humor, inspiration, and fashion. They’ve always said life is fun so your clothes should be too! In 2020 they focused on bringing out the fun in every situation and in every outfit.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
K Marie is known for being a boutique for ALL women. This includes all ages and all sizes. I think that’s the fun part of K Marie – having this powerful duo who reaches such a variety of women and brings them all together through fashion. If you’re plus size, walking into a store can be intimidating, and our goal is to create a welcoming environment whether you watch live sales on the app, follow us from afar on social media, or walk through our storefront doors. We love having the opportunity to boost someone’s confidence and create friendships along the way.
We’re also proud to be mother/daughter, business partners, and best friends. That connection between Karen and Erin is so special, and if you watch any live or meet them in person, you can instantly feel it. There’s such a joy in being able to do this together! We both have different skill sets, picking up where the other is stronger. Karen is the business brain behind K Marie. She thrives in the financials, big picture, and customer interactions. Erin is the marketing guru! She is happiest when on socials, making graphics for the store, and growing the online side of things. There is a balance between the two of them that makes K Marie such a success.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Hi, Erin here! Asking me my favorite childhood memory is one of the hardest things for me. I grew up in such a loving house with Karen and my dad Michael. The three of us have been extremely close forever! As a child, I loved playing dress up. If there was a funky fur coat or bejeweled crown, I could throw on with my outfits; I would! My parents owned Luv2Scrapbook, a scrapbooking store in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and it grew to be one of the largest in the country, as well as one of the first to ever be online.
Most days, you could find me there talking to customers, watching this business grow (with all of my dress-up clothes on, of course!). I think from even such a young age; I could see the entrepreneurial spirit that was in the family.
Most of my best memories from childhood are late-night scrapbooking nights hosted at the store! There was always bright colors, fun paper and stickers, and more. It was every girl’s dream (or at least it was certainly mine)!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopkmarieboutique.com
- Instagram: @shopkmarieboutique
- Facebook: @shopkmarieboutique
- Other: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1563081498
Image Credits
Delight Images
