A new boutique is set to open in a corner spot in The Village at Willow Grove promising full racks of clothes for women looking for a versatile wardrobe. Emily Katherine Boutique has officially moved into The Village at Willow Grove with plans for a Grand Opening celebration weekend this Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29.
Emily Trahan is the proud owner and CEO of the shop. She opened the doors to Emily Katherine Boutique’s first location in New Iberia in 2021, later expanding within the Bayou Landing Shopping Center with Emily Katherine Gifts, specializing in dorm decor and gifts. The new shop, at 8201 Village Plaza Court, will mark the 22-year-old respiratory therapist student’s third opening in three years and entry into the Capital Region.
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“I’ve pretty much grown up in an (entreprenurial) family,” she says. “So, I’ve always wanted my own business, but I also love the medical field. After COVID, I decided that I wanted to open up a boutique. I’ve always loved fashion and finding the right clothes and having the right price points for everyone because not everybody can afford that $200 top.”
The Baton Rouge location occupies the former spot of Posh Boutique, now known as Oat Boutique online. Trahan says when she saw the light-filled storefront in The Village at Willow Grove, she fell in love.
Trahan and her family have spent many late nights and early mornings in the Baton Rouge shop to transform the space. Inside, the boutique is filled with racks of clothes ranging from cocktail dresses to casual blouses. Trahan says she goes to markets from the East Coast to the West Coast to find pieces to stock in her storefronts.
“We carry typical trendy fashion,” Trahan says. “When you’re going for a job interview, you can’t wear a game-day shirt. We’re gonna have game-day clothes as well, but also the typical dresses that you want to wear to go to a nice wedding, a nice evening out with some friends or job interviews.”
Along with the dresses, tops, pants and other clothing pieces, Emily Katherine Boutique will also feature accessories, shoes and even dorm decor like pillows and art made by New Iberia-based Whitney Broussard Design.
Besides managing the three locations, Trahan says she’s also in school for respiratory therapy and just started her first semester with clinicals. She tries to always make time for her business after working through her school assignments and with help from family.
“I kind of just take it one day at a time,” she says. “School is my priority, but I have my mom. If I didn’t have my mom, I would not be able to do all of it. And then, I have great employees that I’m able to trust, and the business basically runs itself now after almost two-and-a-half years.”
Ahead of the Grand Opening, Trahan says she’s excited to connect with a larger audience in a new city.
“I’m not from Baton Rouge, so I don’t know anybody, and I’m excited to meet people here. Because in New Iberia, I know everyone. I knew everyone before I opened the store. It’s a small town,” she says.
The Baton Rouge location promises new customers and more space for Emily Katherine Boutique. Trahan says she’s both grateful and blessed to have the opportunity for growth with her business.
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“I don’t think anybody’s ever 100% sure that they want to do anything. You kind of just take that 80% or 90% and you jump with it and see how it goes,” she says. “Whenever I opened up the first (shop), I didn’t know where it was going to take me. But, you know, I’m glad I did it because here I am now.”
Emily Katherine Boutique will have its Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Customers are welcome to browse the new selection and enjoy complimentary charcuterie cups from Bites and Boards and champagne.