New Williamsburg boutique brings homey feel to downtown

Among the many new businesses sprouting up around downtown Williamsburg is a little sister-owned shop that wants to make every customer feel like part of the family.

JennieLyn Boutique, owned and operated by sisters Jennifer Baker and Amy Gray, is housed within a mostly unassuming building at the corner of Cumberland Avenue and S. Fourth Street, but once you step inside it is full of the duo’s vibrant and buoyant energy.

“I think the store is our personalities,” said Gray as Baker nodded in agreement. “I know a lady who came in that we’ve worked with for many, many years and she said, ‘This screams Jennifer and Amy.’”

The boutique officially opened for business back in May of this year as an online-only shop, which had the sisters scrambling to get their name out to potential customers. That led to the pair deciding to create pop-up shops at a number of festivals and other events around the Tri-County.

The sisters said that at each pop-up, they continued to receive compliments about both their inventory and presentation, which helped them build confidence in their growing business. That confidence soon manifested itself as the brick-and-mortar shop they now run their business out of.

The boutique held its grand opening Dec. 3, 2022. In addition to displaying the pair’s personalities, the sisters said that the shop has already evolved into more than just a business to them, as it has also become a place they want to use to get to truly know their customers and make them feel at home.

“We don’t just want to sell an item to them, we want to find out about them,” said Gray.

That homey feel is apparent, too. Because when a customer visits JennieLyn Boutique, if they aren’t greeted by one of the sisters, then it is typically their mother or Baker’s daughter who is manning the shop. Baker and Gray, who had each worked in healthcare for the majority of their professional careers and still continue working full-time outside the shop, said they decided not to seek outside help to run the shop for a variety of reasons, chief among them was they wanted to ensure that even when they aren’t there that customers still feel like they are and have the same kind of positive experience.

The family theme is also strewn throughout the sister’s shop, as many of the items that can be found inside have some sort of special meaning. For instance, the large shelving that acts as a central showpiece along the center of the shop’s wall was previously an entertainment center built by their father as a gift for Gray. It was painted and repurposed to display an assortment of the boutique’s wares.

Inclusiveness is another pillar the sisters have built their business on, in that they carry not only an eclectic assortment of styles, but also a wide variety of sizes, ranging from small to 3XL.

“We want to make sure all sizes can come and shop in our boutique,” said Baker. “Everybody is beautiful and they need to feel beautiful in their clothing.”

JennieLyn Boutique typically offers new items every Thursday so that customers can always come in and find something they haven’t seen before. The sisters said that many of the pieces are also put out in small numbers and displayed in limited runs to help ensure customers can always find something new.

The shop is currently open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sisters noted that those times may be adjusted as they learn what days and times are best for customers.

In addition to the shop, their website still remains active at www.jennielynboutique.com.