On the corner of Delmar Boulevard and Old Bonhomme Road sits University City’s newest boutique, Briefly Beautiful (8149 Delmar Boulevard). It's full of bright colors and vintage pieces — think Carrie Bradshaw’s closet.
Owner Susan Curtis wanted to create a place where people would come in and say “I remember this.”
“I kind of wanted a store that was more like a memory store,” she says. “Either memories you've had or memories to me."
Over the last few years, Curtis’ house burned down, she lost her job and broke her ankle. The house fire cost her basically all of her favorite items including clothing from her late mother. It was especially hard for someone who describes herself as "really sentimental."
“I knew I needed a new start, and it was like, What about a store where people would be like, 'Oh my god, I used to have that,' or 'I remember that,' or ‘This reminds me of this.’ I was just like, 'Maybe there's other people who want stuff that they lost too.' So I was just trying to find different brands, items and clothes and try to make a nice cohesive experience.”
Briefly Beautiful offers a curated collection of vintage clothing, but it's also full of jewelry, soaps, candles, fragrances, cosmetics and collectibles, as well as discontinued items from vintage brands.
“I tried to bring in brands that we used to have growing up,” says Curtis, who moved to St. Louis in 2004. “So like Kissing Koolers, Kissing Potions and Crabtree & Evelyn. Everything is kind of a limited edition, so you might just get the last one. Along with that I’m also trying to blend in a few modern things as well so that it's like a complete shopping experience.”
In order to find these pieces, Curtis hunts through thrift stores, estate sales and also has a buyer in Georgia who sends up unique pieces featuring classic Southern prints.
“I have to approve and sign off on every single thing,” she says. “When I pick everything I try to get it as in the best condition as possible. Especially the vintage pieces. Some of them haven't been worn and still have the tag, so I'll just try and sanitize and spot treat them. Everything else is fully clean and steamed and everything so it's ready to use.”
With almost 500 pieces of clothing, Briefly Beautiful is preparing for its grand opening on Wednesday, May 1 at 11 a.m.
“I'm very excited to finally just be working and just talking to people and stuff like that,” Curtis says. “People have been coming in and knocking on the windows, and I'm like, ‘Oh, we're not quite open yet.’”
But they will be soon! To stay up-to-date on hours and new vintage finds, check out Briefly Beautiful’s Facebook page.
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