Friends Tennille Gutierrez and Stephanie Hagen have been providing accessories and clothing options for South Miami-Dade women for several years.
“Threads started three years ago, when Tennille and I talked about selling jewelry through Facebook,” Hagen said. “In 2012, during the holiday season we began selling at various school bazaars/festivals like Westminster Christian, Palmer Trinity, Lourdes and St. Stephens.
“Everyone loved our pieces and we started to have a good following. And, about two years ago we started buying clothing. The big question always was ‘where is your store?’”
They also hosted sales parties at each other and friend’s homes. Their inventory was growing, so last year they started talking seriously about the idea of opening a boutique. Another catalyst was changes in Facebook policies, which made it more difficult to make sales online.
“A big concern was the commitment — we have both been stay-at-home mom’s raising seven kids combined,” Hagen said.
They decided to take the leap and opened Threads at 13843 S. Dixie Hwy. with a grand opening on Aug. 1.
“We wanted to open a store that did not cater to a teen market,” Gutierrez said. “When we put the store together, we focused on the senses.
When you walk in, we want it to smell good; we want it to look good; we sell candles.”
Their target market is women over 30.
“We get new merchandise and post it on Instagram,” Gutierrez said. “People call us or buy it online.”
The Palmetto Bay location was important to the friends. It keeps them close to home.
“Both my partner and I grew up here,” Gutierrez said. “I went to Howard Drive Elementary and Palmetto High School. She went to Westminster.”
Threads is different than most small stores in that they have a 14-day merchandise return policy.
They also have a small area for children stocked with coloring books and iPads.
The store has drawn not only women in their target age group, but women of all ages who are looking to find something nice.
“I’ve heard people say, I can come to your store and find 10 things,” Gutierrez said. “Women in their 40s, 50s, 60s will bring their daughters or granddaughters and both could find something.”
Customers can find a wide range of clothes, accessories, intimates and jewelry. Gutierrez said the clothes are casual or dressy enough for a dinner date. They haven’t ventured into dressy clothing.
“That’s not to say that we won’t in the future,” she said. “Our style will change as the seasons will go through.”
The two travel to trade shows from New York to Atlanta to Las Vegas.
“We get their line sheets and order as they get new items,” Gutierrez said. “A lot of the lines we carry, they sell at Nordstrom or other department stores.”
Threads also carries a personalized jewelry line. “All the pieces are 14 K gold filler or sterling silver,” she said. “They’re hand stamped and made by a local jeweler.
Hagen said she loves the store.
“I have a great partner and wouldn’t have done this with anyone else,” she said. “Tennille and I complement each other and what we have accomplished. We are very meticulous when it comes to buying. We buy what we know we would wear. We want women of all ages to feel that when they walk into Threads they will find the right outfit for them.”
For more information, call 786-713- 5393. You can find them on Facebook at Miami Threads Boutique. Their website,
www.MiamiThreads.com is under construction.
