Boutique Peek: My Roommate's Closet

High-end items, marked way down, make these two indie boutiques in San Francisco and Walnut Creek a must-stop.

When two women working at a San Francisco investment firm discovered that their favorite boutiques’ overstock was crammed into storage spaces and shop owners’ garages, they knew they could offer a better solution. The result? In 2003, they quit their jobs and opened the first My Roommate’s Closet store in the Marina district of San Francisco, followed by a second store in Walnut Creek in 2007, selling designer merchandise at 50 percent off the retail price.
 
The idea was sparked by a conversation between co-owners and Bay Area natives Suzanne Lynch and Cate Grosch, when Cate complained about her two roommates always borrowing her stuff. Suzanne jokingly suggested that she charge them $50 per month to cover the “wear and tear” of her pricey pieces, but after pitching the idea to a few enthusiastic shop owners, they realized they were onto something.

Now, the two stores source from 40 boutiques all over the country. “We’ve become, in a sense, a consolidated sale rack of the best boutiques,” said Suzanne, adding that nothing in the store generally surpasses $800.

If only all our roommates’ closets housed this kind of collection.

What you’ll find: High-quality, fashionable, reasonably priced designer clothing that isn’t already in your friend’s – or roommate’s – closet. The couture section features dresses by Vera Wang and Zac Posen; the tables are stocked with Page jeans, Jean-Michel Cazabat stilettos, and bags by Lulu Guinness; and the racks in the back are filled with post-season sale items marked down to 80 percent off.

Plus, the super-friendly sales girls are more than happy to help you coordinate an outfit for a special occasion, as local mom Lisa De Garmo discovered. “They dressed my friend from head to toe for her 50th birthday party in Napa,” said De Garmo, “and she looked fantastic.”

Who you’ll see shopping: A college girl, her older sister, and their mom could all find something to suit them.

Mark your calendar: Both stores will be having a one-day “designer event” (Thursday, Oct. 29 in Walnut Creek and Friday, Nov. 6 in San Francisco) featuring clothing from high-end designers such as Zac Posen and Narciso Rodriguez at an additional 20% off.

Don’t forget to check out their 3-week, end-of-season sales in January/February and July/August. Frequent shoppers are rewarded with special discounts, such as a 10% gift card when they spend over $100, and are the first to find out about new merchandise. Check out myroommatescloset.com for more in-store updates.

1366 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek. (925) 280-8400; 3044 Fillmore Street (at Union St.), San Francisco. (415) 447-7703; myroommatescloset.com.



 

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