Lola's Closet

Plattsburgh boutique offers chic clothes at not-so-cheap prices

Story and photos by Ginny Jenks

Along a busy and commercial stretch of Route 3 in Plattsburgh, trendy boutique 'Lola's Closet' sits almost hidden in a tiny plaza amongst a jeweler, pet store, and hair salon. Opened in August 2008, the store's motto: "Fabulous clothes for fabulous people" may leave some wondering where these 'fabulous' girls are. Although a refreshing alternative to the mall, this chic collection of clothing may be lacking in local appeal.

Upon entrance, it is clear that the ambiance typical of an upscale, uber-chic boutique (a small selling floor with an even smaller inventory) is not present at Lola's Closet. Phew. The big display windows and soft lighting coming from within seem welcoming. The surprisingly large space, with beautiful wooden floors, holds a fairly large stock of contemporary brands. The walls are lined with eye-level racks, topped by shelves holding coordinating accessories and framed trend reports. The middle of the space is occupied by waist height tables decked in premium denim and unique, colorful tee shirts. Baskets are randomly placed in the front of the room and at various points along the sides filled to the brim with scarves and other adornments.

In the back of the store there are a few dressing rooms, covered by soft, ivory colored curtains. This area has a cozy, relaxing feel due to the comfy seating and side tables piled with magazines. To the left of this area, a couple of racks line the back wall with, frilly formal dresses. The assortment here ranges from cocktail attire to full on eveningwear. There is also a small rack of designer infant and toddler clothing, nestled in a back corner, that seems a little out of place and overpriced.

As far as actual inventory, Lola's Closet is carrying a slew of boutique-regulars such as Velvet and Free People. Velvet is a line of contemporary basics (tee shirts and knit dresses in simple shapes) comparable to trendy and slightly overpriced brands like Splendid and C&C California. Prices for Velvet tees in the store range anywhere between $50-$75.  Free People sweaters are not to be found under $100. A large selection of French Connection clothing doesn't seem to fit in with the otherwise casual feel of the store, with the only comparable feature being high prices. A table of Paige denim, an up and coming label, carry price tags of over $150. Some trendy, checkered square scarves, found at the front of the store and priced at $25, are identical to the ones you can find on NYC streets for $5.

The target market of Lola's Boutique seems to be college-aged fashionistas and otherwise trendy 20-somethings with larger budgets than most SUNY students have. The sizing selection also seems to be a tad limited (towards the smaller end of the spectrum). This boutique would easily fit in on Church St. in Burlington, VT, and even in New York City's SOHO. Its Plattsburgh location may be missing the mark a bit; leaving shoppers thinking the mall isn't so bad after all. Although the actual product is by all means trendy, APN gives Lola's Closet a 3 out of 5 rating.

Have you shopped at Lola's Closet?