California Apparel News

SAN FRANCISCO—The Old World feel of San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood is a fitting locale for the indie, vintage-inspired boutique In Lieu, where owner Christina Claypool has created a youthful hipster vibe. As for the name, Claypool says she always loved the sound as well as the elegance and style it imbues.

“I wanted a boutique that was different, that you could go to instead of somewhere else, so the name fit,” she explained. “I created a very mellow, laid-back shopping environment because I was sick of going into hip boutiques and being received with a stuffy attitude. I provide a cool, exclusive selection of merchandise but approach it with an ’everyone is welcome’ attitude.”

Prior to the December 2005 opening, Claypool scoped out the market in search of brands that combined progressive and classic designs—and reflected her own style.

The store’s retail prices range from $42 for Taylor Made or Pink Spike tops to $300 for a Geren Ford kimono dress.

Claypool’s route to retail is marked by good fortune, perseverance and a love of fashion.

A self-proclaimed fashion fanatic, Claypool worked retail while studying literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Upon graduating in 2001, the California native had intentions of moving to New York in hopes of landing a position at one of the fashion mags. Her plans changed and she moved to San Francisco with friends in the fall of 2001, where her temporary job at Nordstrom ended up lasting three years. It was enough to make her decide that retail was what she wanted to do for a living.

Claypool comes from an entrepreneurial family. Her father owns a beer distributorship, her brother has heating and cooling businesses, and her other brother started an Internet company. She saw the benefits of owning her own business and knew she wanted her foray to be fashion-related.

But before she took the plunge, Claypool developed her merchandising experience by taking a position with a marketing company merchandising a line of underwear for Puma. When Puma put the line on hold to revamp and repackage the product, Claypool was assigned to the DKNY Kids account. During this time, she began to explore the idea of starting an online boutique and took some business classes at City College in San Francisco. Her instructor told her that her business plan was so specific and articulate that a true businessperson would back it.

She then shifted her focus to include opening a bricks-and-mortar business. Her boyfriend, photographer David Uzzardi, is the brother of Joseph Quartana, who owns the Seven New York boutique and Web site that carries such designer lines as Imitation of Christ and Proenza Schouler. Quartana was a great influence on Claypool, providing an example of a successful boutique and e-commerce business.

For her store, Claypool identified her niche and began researching online to find brands that she liked. “With so many great boutiques here, and so many lines already represented, I had to do a lot of searching.”

Corey Lynn Calter was one of her best finds, with great tops, sweaters and dresses that are both flirty and edgy. Claypool also knew she wanted to carry Park Vogal, Spring & Clifton, Ernest Sewn and Conspiracy 8.

Still, she had yet to find a location for her store. While eating at Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach, she noticed a “for lease” sign next door. Claypool and Uzzardi fell in love with the brick exterior so she called and left a message but nobody got back to her. A year later, in August 2005, after deciding against locations in Noe Valley and The Haight, she saw a posting on Craigslist and realized it was that same space in North Beach.

It turned out to be a former martini lounge with black walls that made the space look like a cave, Claypool said. Although the building owners attempted to open a restaurant and the pictures on Craigslist showed a space in mid-construction, Claypool saw it as a clean slate. She negotiated a deal and with the help of Uzzardi began renovations. The location, just off the Columbus Avenue main drag, has lots of personality and old San Francisco charm—you can hear the bells of Saints Peter and Paul Church just around the corner.

“Going at it alone is a big undertaking,” said Claypool. “I took on another aspect of the industry—I had never been a buyer. I knew I had a good taste for what I wanted, but I didn’t know the process. I went to L.A. Market and bought most of the lines there, and I have a couple lines from New York and San Francisco.”

In addition to the lines she had already researched, she ordered denim from Salt Works, Paper Denim & Cloth and Robyn’s Jeans as well as pieces from Pink Dice, Veena and Borne Clothing. Still, despite the breadth of selection, the racks at In Lieu are not overcrowded. “I don’t want too many of one item because I want to keep it original. I don’t want everyone to have it,” Claypool explained.

The store also carries shoes from C Label and S&J (by Satine) and jewelry by Bonbon Oiseau and Jack Rabbit. Claypool is exploring the idea of having in-store alterations, which would be a welcome service since the store is stocked with plenty of denim with long inseams. She’s also planning to carry men’s clothing, and the online shop is due to launch in the coming months. Eventually, Claypool would like to open locations in Los Angeles and New York.

In Lieu is located at 528 Green St. Claypool can be reached at (415) 362-0202 or online through www.inlieusf.com.

—Dena Smolek