Everly & Co. Boutique opens in Babylon
Everly & Co. Boutique owner Chelsea Walters in her new Babylon store. Credit: Everly & Co. Boutique
Check out the new store Everly & Co. Boutique in Babylon and you’ll see a rich array of women’s clothes and accessories.
Shop owner Chelsea Walters, 35, is a shining example of a couple of key business lessons: When one door closes another one opens, and you can’t overstate the value of a strong professional network.
At the end of March, Walters took over the Deer Park Avenue space in Babylon previously occupied by Jenny Montiglio’s Ooh La La Boutiques, which is now a website-only retailer.
“Jenny called me in January and said she was ready to step away in Babylon,” says Walters. “It was an opportunity that I just couldn’t say no to.”
The businesswomen have a long history. Walters worked for Montiglio for about 15 years at various Ooh La La locations, learning the retail ropes and honing her strong work ethic along the way.
Last April, Walters’s flagship Everly & Co. launched in Sayville in a former Ooh La La storefront there. Walters lives a short drive from the Sayville shop with her 3-year-old son, Logan.
Walters hadn’t planned to double her stores so soon, but the Babylon address checked off so many boxes. “I know the store. I know the community,” she says. “It’s a good walking town. It’s got a nice mix of restaurants and shops.”
Everly & Co. has its own special blend. “The vibe is kind of southern charm meets classic Hamptons,” she says. Racks and shelves display clothing, shoes, accessories and handbags “that look expensive and luxurious,” she adds, “but won’t break the bank.”
Selections include dresses for a special event, getaway, or celebration. “You can also find something to wear to work,” she says. “You change one piece and then you can go out to dinner with your girlfriends. You’re covered either way.”
Walters prides herself on her and her staff’s low-key, easygoing approach. “I’m not there to sell everybody on everything,” she says.
“We’re not just saying, ‘Oh, hey, it looks great,’ ” she says. “I want you to feel like you’re shopping with a friend that you can trust.” Dresses range from around $48 to $104, blouses and sweaters run from $34 to $78; sandals are around $38 and boots are $102.
Everly & Co. Boutique, 13 Deer Park Ave., Babylon, 631-526-9108, everlyandcoboutique.com.
