Business & Tech
Two Sisters Boutique: Affordable Fashion In Uptown
In their boutique on Prospect, a pair of siblings believe price and quality carry the day. That, and having fun with fashion.
Siblings Gina O’Donnell and Elaina Bonacci were in a good place when they started their Two Sisters Boutique at 28 Main St. in uptown Park Ridge seven years ago.
But they’re in even better quarters at 7 S. Prospect now. Two Sisters moved right next to the Pickwick Theater four years back.
“We definitely enjoy being next to the Pickwick and being (near) Starbucks and all the other stores on Prospect,” said O’Donnell.
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Thus they’ve been in a prime spot to offer their wares for the holiday season.
Best sellers now are jewelry – a store staple – along with gloves, scarves and hats.
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“You can get a fun, frivolous gift without costing a fortune,” said O’Donnell. “We have a daily deal on Facebook for our customers throughout the holidays. We try and find different and unique things you won’t find at the department stores. Our scarves don’t look like Macy’s scarves.”
The proprietors believes their prices are a promotion in themselves.
“When you’re buying a $16 gift, you’re not really worried we’re giving you an extra 10 percent,” Bonacci said.
Boutiques don’t equal pricey?
“Always a reasonable price,” O’Donnell said of an original goal in opening the store. “Just because it’s a boutique doesn’t mean it has to be expensive.”
The genesis of the boutique? “We just thought it would be fun,” said O’Donnell. “We didn’t have any retail experience. We enjoyed fashion.”
Two Sisters started off “90 percent accessories,” said Bonacci. “Then we built from there. We started adding shoes. Then we started adding jeans. Then we started added dresses.”
The boutique choices in Park Ridge, especially on Prospect, soon will be thinned. New Prospects, west of the Metra tracks, is closing this month after 27 years. Owner Amy Degrazio has sold to a new store, scheduled to open next spring.
All the more reason to enjoy the loyalty of local customers at Two Sisters.
“We think of the majority of our customers as friends,” said O’Donnell. “This community works hard to support local businesses. We see the same people over and over.
“I think people are price-conscious, always. But I also think people appreciate the quality and uniqueness of the gifts from here.”
