“A mantra at Faye’s is ‘we can’t change the wind, but we can adjust the sails,’” says Faye Wetzel, who founded her eponymous boutique in 1991. “We not only accept change – we embrace it.”
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At the same time, Wetzel has remained true to certain core tenets of her business: a focus on quality fabrics, tailoring and craftsmanship. “I’m very excited about the return to quiet luxury,” she says. “I’m a big believer in buying only what you love and building a wardrobe that works for your lifestyle.”
Similarly, Carrie Arrouet, who founded Lela more than 20 years ago, says that striking a balance between trendy and timeless is crucial to continued success.
“When we opened, the mission to provide a comfortable, cool space to showcase unique designs made by local artists was something that didn’t exist,” she says. “Artists no longer need a physical space to show their creations. [So] we’ve embraced the other part of our original mission to provide a laid-back, happy space for everyone to enjoy a little retail therapy.”
Arrouet, who says that many of her customers are out-of-towners visiting for a day or weekend, also enjoys acting as an unofficial ambassador for the city of Milwaukee. “I would say the most fun thing to ‘sell’ is the Milwaukee experience.”
