When Kristi Pawlowicz was promoted to co-manager of Envy, a women’s boutique near the University of Missouri, during her senior year of college, she was sure she could handle it. Now she is running the boutique’s first location in the Chicago area, which opened last month in downtown Evanston.
The new store signifies a return home for Pawlowicz, who moved from the Chicago area to attend the Missouri School of Journalism and started out working part time as a sales associate at Envy’s first boutique in Columbia, Mo.
“While continuing to pursue my journalism degree in strategic communication, I began to apply all my studies into the marketing and advertising of the company,” she said.
After college, Pawlowicz was promoted to store manager of Envy in Springfield, Mo., near Missouri State University. She spent the last year and a half managing that store.
“When I finally was homesick enough, I decided to move back to Chicago for good, and it only made sense to bring the store with me,” she said.
Pawlowicz said her father went to graduate school at Northwestern, so she has “always felt connected” to the university, cheering for the Wildcats with her dad at football games.
“I already had a sense of the campus culture, and I knew Envy would be appreciated by the students at Northwestern,” she said.
Her vision for Envy Evanston was to bring Los Angeles fashion at an ideal price point to NU students and Evanston residents.
The boutique, 522 Davis St., opened in late September in Evanston, which Pawlowicz said lacked trendy fashion for less than $40.
Pawlowicz said she hopes Envy becomes the fashion resource for Evanston shoppers.
“All our styles come from L.A., so they are current and on trend — and usually just a step ahead of Chicago’s Midwest style,” Pawlowicz said. “It is fun to watch people take risks with our clothes and wear something they haven’t tried yet.”
The individual boutiques are located near university campuses in Columbia, Mo.; Springfield, Mo.; Lawrence, Kan. and Manhattan, Kan.
“That’s exciting that they are expanding,” said Maddie Roberts, a stylist at Salon Texture, 520 Davis St., located next door to Envy. “I think it’s priced well for students.”
Weinberg sophomore Zoe Vainikos agreed, calling the store “reasonably priced.” She said Envy fits both the casual and formal needs of college women. Vainikos said she wishes the boutique sold shoes.
SESP sophomore Annie Livingston has only worked at the boutique for a week and a half, but she said she already thinks Pawlowicz is “the best manager. She’s so knowledgeable and fashionable.”
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