Armoire

Material world

By SHAYNA SLAYTON

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The South End's newest clothier, Armoire, is eager to jump into your pants ... if not your closet. The men's and women's consignment shop has much to offer, from designer fashion apparel and shoes, to scarves, sunglasses and other miscellaneous accessories. Far from selling sketchy secondhand goods, the store keeps up appearances, requiring incoming items be dry cleaned and in excellent condition. "Once they're in, they're gone that day," claims Bobby Dickens, Armoire's manager.

The purple entrance and brightly colored slacks hanging from the window establish the vibrant and inviting environment. The inside's plain walls are decorated with shoes of all styles and brands, international designer clothing, men's suit's and women's shirts and blouses. Not-too-shabby labels, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Armani and Gucci, are featured all over the place. One's best bet is to scout during the end of the month to find new items, according to Dickens. That's when, people tend to move and get rid of a lot of things—including perfectly good clothing.

After Armoire's owner and founder, Olzhas Tugelbayev, offered him a role at the shop, Dickens found himself running the store in less time than it took to completely switch career paths. Dickens, a bartender, and Tugelbayev, co-owner of the late Boston Public restaurant, decided to start the business in one night. It took about three weeks of hard work to put the store together. The boutique' is nearing its two-month milestone.

Armoire's space next to Petit Robert Bistro has done well for the shop, bringing in a lot of traffic and sparking passerby interest. The South End seems to be the perfect locale, attracting shoppers from the stylish neighborhood and beyond. "It's time to start moving the retail away from Newbury," says Dickens.

Other than location, w''ord of mouth seems to be the most successful advertising method. "It's been a slow start, but it's picking up, definitely," says Dickens. Well said, particularly in the spirit—and business—of creative renewal.

[482 Columbus Ave., South End Boston. 617.236.5838. armoireboston.com]