Custom Gifts from MaeLynn’s Boutique

Hattie Lewis has been in the retail business for a long time. Before opening MaeLynn’s Designer Fragrance Boutique in Stone Mountain Village last December, she’s had shops in Michigan, the Village Market in Stone Mountain and the Atrium in Norcross.

This week, the entrepreneur talks about customizing gifts and fragrances with her latest venture.

Patch: So you opened shop late last year, but it’s not your only job. What else do you do?

Hattie Lewis: I work for Christian Dior as a fragrance manager at Macy’s Gwinnett. I take care of all their fragrances for men and women. I’ve been there for 12 years.

Patch: How did you first get into the fragrance and customized gift business?

Lewis: I got into it when I first start selling it and vendoring. When I started vendoring for various companies in Michigan.

Patch: You must know a lot about fragrances, then?

Lewis: I love teaching about fragrance and making people knowledgeable about how to wear it and how to shop for it. From my experience, 75 percent of people do not know how to wear fragrances. You put it in your pressure areas. If you don’t like it near your face or because of allergies, you can put it behind your kneecaps, because once it mixes into your DNA, it heats up. It’s going to travel.

I like to teach the whole aspect of going into the shop and putting it on the blotter card. The paper and wood card is a good starter, but if possible, get a sample. If you can’t get a sample, come in one day with nothing on, put a little bit somewhere away from your face, and wear it. Give it at least 15 minutes because that’s how long it takes for it to dry out and mix with your DNA.

Patch: And you can customize your fragrance?

Lewis: Yes! I do a profile on the customer, asking 25 questions, from the flowers you like, what season of the year you prefer, if you like hot, cold… whatever. From that, it becomes your own-patented fragrance. I send it off to the company I work with, and they design and make a sample of that fragrance. It’s returned to me, and I return it to the customer, to see whether or not they [like it]. And I have to keep them in mind that it’s not going to smell like anything on the market; it’s their own, personal patented fragrance. It’s not going to smell like J’adore or Chanel No. 5.  From there, [you pick] your bottle, if you want your name or logo on there. Usually the whole process takes about four to six weeks.

Patch: It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

Lewis: Exactly. For a new-born baby, Christmas, birthdays. I even had Carver High School approach me within the last week about using it as a fundraiser for their football team.

Patch: Do you have a personal favorite scent?

Lewis: I like a vanilla base, like a sweet, vanilla base. 

Patch: And you have other items, too?

Lewis: I have wine glasses, and they’re all one-of-a-kind. They’re hand-painted, from the glasses to the vases to the plates.

Patch: What about clothing?

Lewis: I have a few items of clothing, but what I’m going to do is concentrate more on unusual belts, jewelry and scarves. Everyone’s asking, “Oh, are you going to do a boutique?” Well, I’m going to do a rental eventually; shoes, dresses and accessories for prom, evening wear, cruises, because once you wear the attire, you may do it twice if you usually hang out with the same grouping. You’re not going to do it three or four times.

MaeLynn’s Designer Fragrance Boutique is located at 5348 East Mountain Street in Stone Mountain Village. Customers can contact the store at 678-923-1312.