FEMME FAIR IS IN THE AIR
MCMULLEN TO GROW WITH NEW STORE
Oakland’s luxury fashion boutique McMullen is moving uptown, but store owner Sherri McMullen is quick to note she’s not going far.
“The new location is only about a mile away in Uptown Oakland, on the corner of Broadway and Grand,” says McMullen, 43. “Brown Sugar Kitchen is also opening next door, Pandora is down the block. The area is really booming.”
McMullen, who celebrated the 10-year anniversary of her Piedmont store in the fall, says she’s excited by the bustling downtown location near BART stations and the historic Paramount and Fox theaters. Increased foot traffic and double the amount of space were also major incentives.
“It’s the right time, coming off our 10year anniversary,” McMullen says. “I always thought about a larger scale, which will allow me to carry more brands and also add a full shoe and accessory department.”
Among the new designers and categories the former Neiman Marcus buyer plans to
launch this fall are Proenza Schouler, possibly Rick Owens and Jacquemus’ men’s line. McMullen also plans to introduce home decor items and children’s clothes within a year. She estimates the new store, which is being renovated by Redmond Aldrich Designs, will be open “no later than Sept. 1.”
McMullen says the business has grown enough during the last three years, which she attributes to her social media presence (@shopmcmullen has over 16,000 followers) and a dedicated Bay Area clientele, to merit more space. She regularly attends fashion weeks in New York and Paris scouting for new labels, and last year hosted a fashion panel moderated by Teen Vogue fashion director Rajni Jacques, and a dinner for friends and family at International Smoke. A 2015 partnership with Farfetch also extended the store’s reach.
“Our customers are connected to the store on a personal level,” McMullen says. “They feel they know me through Instagram; I think that connection helps with business. They also want to see product on a woman who isn’t a model or a size 4,” which is why she frequently models looks from the store.
“I feel like there’s still a need for new retail in Oakland,” McMullen says. “It’s been a push, but it’s slowly happening. There’s more interest in Oakland in general right now. Restaurants and artists have always been here, but we need retail. Oakland is home for me, and I was always drawn by the community here.”