Eloise

eloise is a family affair, a downtown boutique owned and operated by mother-daughter duo cyd mcclelland and amy kolbrener.

from the moment you open the door you might find cyd bopping to the marvelettes or amy offering an honest opinion on a mini-skirt and, like magic, you’re part of this special family. cyd’s son (amy’s brother), jay, might be reading the washington post on the couch, and henry, amy’s doggie (and the store’s mascot) could be lying in a sunny spot, paws decorously crossed. if you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of the family’s newest arrival, otis (amy’s son) he really couldn’t be any cuter.

both cyd and amy are fashion industry veterans. cyd has run new york clothing stores from manhattan to upstate new york. amy, as nature would have it, was learning the tricks of the trade at cyd’s side from the beginning. after graduating from college, she tried NYC on for size, going to work for kate spade as a director of purchasing and managing the company’s flagship store. but big city life had lost its luster so she moved to charlottesville, in 1998, joining cyd.

together again, cyd and amy began planning what they’d dreamed of for years: opening a dress shop together. eloise (aptly named for amy’s favorite book when she was a toddler) opened in 1999 and charlottesville has lived, stylishly, ever after.