Blue-green-aqua was what Jeff Waters called the color of Megan Behan’s eyes when they first began dating. It’s several years later now and Behan is translating that description into the name of her new boutique opening today in New Town.
BlueGreenAqua Boutique at 5126 Main St. will open its doors to shoppers at 10 a.m. today. The store carries more than 20 boutique brands featured online at sites including modcloth.com and brands not readily available in the Hampton Roads area, including Moon Collection, Everly, Coveted Clothing, Pink Owl, and Ark & Co.
Behan’s goal is to cater to young women in high school, college or young professionals by offering everyday wear, work wear, date attire and homecoming dresses. The items for sale in BlueGreenAqua range in price from $20 to $60 with clothes averaging $30 to $40 per piece. Price-wise, BlueGreenAqua falls in the middle of H&M and Forever 21, Behan said.
Behan, who is 23 years old, said she always wanted to have her own storefront and worked hard to open one as soon as she could. She graduated from Grafton High School in York County in 2008, graduated from Old Dominion University in 2012 with a degree in marketing and is now opening her boutique in New Town. Her business didn’t start with this brick-and-mortar store — it started online two years ago.
Before moving into the fashion world, Behan began making wedding and bridal shower invitations, which she sold online. That business eventually transitioned into selling earrings and bracelets she makes herself, which then blossomed into the boutique where Behan’s handmade jewelry is still available for sale.
Starting the online business two years ago and keeping it going afforded Behan some of the startup money she needed for the storefront, but her mother, Heidi Golden, has provided most of the monetary support Behan needed. Waters, who is now engaged to Behan, also provides Behan financial stability.
“Fortunately, I have very supportive friends and family who let me take this big risk and start the store,” Behan said.
She said she believes her age helps her to understand her customer, giving her an advantage to succeed.
With the name BlueGreenAqua paying tribute to Behan’s relationship with Waters, the price tags on her merchandise pay tribute to her mother and grandmother, Jeanette Golden, whose image embodies the vintage look from which Behan’s merchandise draws inspiration. The tags are printed with various pictures of her grandmother as a young woman and her mother as a baby.
The concept behind the boutique is to sell trendy clothing with vintage inspiration for modern-day young women. She wants shoppers to be able to find special pieces of clothing, jewelry, shoes or accessories to bring personality into their wardrobe in a classy or quirky way.
A limited number of each item for sale will be stocked, preventing the possibility of students having the same outfits as their classmates, Behan said.
Aside from the exclusivity, Behan said she has the ability to respond quicker than larger chain stores to trend changes and demand for product by ordering whatever items she wants to sell whenever she wants.
“I think of Williamsburg as a shopping town,” Behan said, explaining she chose the area as the best place for a boutique because of the atmosphere in New Town and the proximity to the College of William & Mary.
Behan said the boutique concept is a popular one in southern states, but hasn’t really cropped up in Virginia so she’s setting out to change that.
BlueGreenAqua will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon until 6 p.m. Sunday. Style appointments can be made during hours the store is typically closed if shoppers are looking for private consultation time. The store can also be reserved after-hours for parties; this involves a reservation cost and all shoppers at the party receive a discount on their purchases during the party. For more information, or to shop online, visit BlueGreenAqua’s website.
