Gotham City Clothing a Millburn Mainstay

Gotham City Clothing is a teen girl's shopping paradise—but the store is well past its teens. Opened in June 1984, the mother-daughter team behind the trendy boutique is this year celebrating 26 years in Millburn.

The store has remained a mainstay in the ever-changing Millburn Avenue scene by staying ahead of the trends. They were among the first to carry world-famous brands such as Free People, Juicy Couture, Seven Jeans and J brand jeans, among others.

"We had Juicy Couture when they were in their infancy," said co-owner Gail Levy. "We had them when they were just a basic v-neck t-shirt."

The brands have clearly evolved over the years, as has the store that discovered them so early on. Levy credits her experience working at Saks Fifth Avenue for giving her the building blocks and know-how to run a store of her own.

"I learned a tremendous amount at Saks. I learned how to make the customer know how special she is to our business. I also learned how to build brands, how to search for and find new up-and-coming brands."

She passed the skills along to her daughter Suzy Frankel, who came to help run the store several years after graduating college.

"Growing up with my mother and grandmother working at Saks, I was always into clothes and fashion. I was trendy. But I always wanted to do my own thing," she recalled. "I never saw myself going into business with my mother."

She pursued a career in public relations and human resources, but said she "didn't love either of those jobs," and so she decided to join her mom at Gotham. They went through growing pains, saying it took about a year or two to establish and settle into their respective roles, but things smoothed out as they moved from the initial, smaller location on Spring Street to the current spot on Millburn Avenue

Since moving to 391 Millburn Ave., the store has gone through several renovations and expansions—all the while adding new brands to the line-up.

"We've been lucky enough to always change and always grow, and to be aware of everything going on in the world and the marketplace. That's one of the hardest things to do, so that you never lose your customer," said Levy.

Frankel is quick to add that they are always offering new designers. "We get bored very quickly so we're always looking, always finding new things, always changing the look."

The strategy, which Frankel called an "innate skill that cannot be learned," has worked. Customers who once brought in their daughters now bring in granddaughters; young mothers who browsed the Gotham racks as teens now stop by with their daughters.

They have stayed in business through several economic downturns, none worse than the current recession.

"Price points were escalating gradually, from 2000 to 2006 or 2007. Everything was climbing. It was becoming ridiculous, so we started mixing in inexpensive products. As the economy tumbled, we fazed out more of the expensive," said Frankel. 

"But," added her mother, "We didn't compromise the quality, everything is equally adorable."

They also have become a one-stop fashion shop, thanks in part to the pressure to compete with the Internet. They offer everything from basics tees and tanks to party dresses; shoes and accessories to handbags.

When you stay in the fashion business long enough, you start to sees forgotten trends come back into favor. The line currently filling their storefront windows is by Jac Vanek, whose pieces are inspired by the'80s grunge look.

"I think it's great to see them coming back," said Levy, "because you have the memory of them, but are seeing them with a new twist."

An aspect of the store that has never changed is the staff. "Our fabulous staff—that's what made Gotham," said Levy. "It's like home; we're a big dysfunctional family."

She has always employed young fashionistas who can connect well with the customers. "The customers love working with girls who are in their own age category. We find that that's been the same all along, so we look for young, adorable, smart girls who love working with the customers."

As Levy and Frankel move into their second quarter century, they are concentrating on expanding Gotham's online presence through Facebook, Twitter and online sales. In the store, the custom dress lounge—a 2006 addition—will continue to expand. There are dresses at all price points and three seamstresses on hand to perfect the dress to each customer.

For this fashion-forward family, style seems to flow through their DNA. It's a trait that continues with a fourth generation of fashionistas, Frankel's 4-year-old daughter Gracie. "She's a walking boutique," said the proud mom. "She mixes and matches things we would never dream of."

As Gotham ages well past its teens, perhaps Levy and Frankel will soon be turning to their budding fashionista for ideas. In the meantime, they seem to be having the time of their lives as they continue to keep locals teens in the hottest, newest trends.