The District Row (249 N. Water St.), a new clothing boutique in the Third Ward with high-end women’s styles, is now open.
Owners Tabatha DiRubba and Lisa Rambol met in Catalano Square during the pandemic, and the pair quickly became friends, bonding over a love of clothes, and decided to open the boutique. “It was actually the dogs that brought us together,” says Lisa Rambol, Owner. “There’s an 80-lb difference between our two dogs. I have a little yorkie puppy. But Bugsy liked Romeo, and we started talking and became friends. One thing led to another, and here we are.”
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Rambol and DiRubba wanted to create a new Milwaukee shopping experience, with a vision for supporting women through stylish, trendy clothing and prioritizing a comfortable experience and community.
“We have lines we thought would work well for all body types. We wanted to bring a high-end boutique experience to our customers,” says Rambol. “A way to make people feel comfortable in a shopping environment, so they can really enjoy themselves.”
The space itself features Cream City brick, places for people to sit and more. “[It’s] super comfortable, with lots of local Madison and Wisconsin artwork. We have a cool area with a comfortable couch and a huge TV,” Rambol says.
Part of The District Row’s emphasis is on supporting local vendors and honoring Milwaukee’s quirks.
“We really wanna keep a lot of things local so we have a couple of local merchants. We went to Glassnote Candle Bar, and we each poured our own signature candle, one is called Love, Bugsy and one is Love, Romeo, for the dogs that brought us together,” says Rambol. “I’ve also always had this fascination with the Milverine. I’ve met John, and he’s cool. So we have a Milverine shirt here.
In addition to locally themed attire, the boutique has a wide-range of clothing options. “We have everything, from very high-end [clothes], to dress[es], to jumpsuits, to professional wear, to trendy jeans, and then we have the local Milwaukee flavor,” says Rambol.
“We also moved how fashion changed with the times. We dialed it in to be a friendly atmosphere for clothing to wear out,” says Tabatha DiRubba, Stylist and Owner.
“It’s really about creating an experience for women. When you look good, you feel good, and that’s what we wanted to bring,” says Rambol.
The boutique had its opening party last Thursday, bringing together members of the Milwaukee community.
“Giving back to the community is very important. We’re a sponsor for Christmas in the Ward, we’re going to do things for the Gallery Nights, and we want to do give-back nights. We want to partner with our neighbors. We are an inclusive part of our neighborhood,” says Rambol.
“It’s a different twist. This is something that Milwaukee needs, and it’s a different experience that we want to create,” says DiRubba. “It’s just about making women feel beautiful one outfit at a time. Building confidence in what you’re wearing.”
