Nicolette, a clothing boutique in downtown Larkspur, brings the charm when it comes to all things fashion, accessories and spirit with a modern and chic touch. Nicolette’s success is all thanks to Nicole Whitty, the owner and face of the business that has thrived in Larkspur for over 22 years.
Whitty has owned the store since 2001, and her atypical journey out of high school gave her the background and experience she needed to run the store smoothly.
“I ended up not going to college and moving to Europe and modeling for 15 years, so that gave me an introduction to fashion,” Whitty said.
When she returned to Marin, Whitty discovered a way to bring her love of fashion and a fresh perspective to Larkspur. She decided to take over her dad’s small boutique, which was founded in 1994.
“I saw that there were a lot of young people moving back to Larkspur, so I was like ‘I think I can take my dad’s store and revamp it and make it more modern and hip.’ I remodeled the store and that was the beginning of Nicolette,” Whitty said.
After a few years, Whitty’s sister, Colette, joined the business as a co-owner. Whitty explained how having her sister working with her and helping to run the business has brought diversity and a different outlook in terms of styles and clothing for the store.
“When Colette came in, she brought a different perspective, because she dresses a little more funky. I’m very traditional [and] classic with my attire, so it was fun having somebody else with a different eye come in,” Whitty commented.
Beth Mitchell, a Redwood parent and frequent customer at Nicolette, described how the two sisters’ pasts and personalities enhance the store.
“[The sisters’] combined backgrounds in fashion and modeling really compliment each other and they have such a good eye for what is stylish. They’re both no-nonsense and always want to make sure their customer looks good; they’re not going to try to sell you something just to sell it,” Mitchell said.
Not only does she know the world of clothing and accessries inside and out, Whitty works hard to give back to the community and establish meaningful relationships with her customers.
“Doing fundraisers for schools and fashion shows have always been really fun. I love my customers and I love the loyalty I have with [them]. Nicolette is just my home away from home,” Whitty said.
As a customer, Mitchell feels that the store has a positive and welcoming environment.
“[Nicole and Colette] have a really vested interest in the community and in the schools in the community. They care. And that comes across in how they treat their customers and the commitment that they show to the school districts,” Mitchell said.“They’re kind of a stalwart on the block. As long as Nicolette is up there, it’s like everything is right. They belong there.”
Check out Nicolette’s instagram page here.
Go visit the shop and meet Nicole Whitty at 499 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, CA 94939.
