To say this year has been a whirlwind is a massive understatement. Even as I sit down to write this I can't believe that summer is drawing to a close and the Marrygrams Boutique is no longer a newborn! But I think it's important to take a step back to reflect on all that we have accomplished in the last few months. This time last year the boutique was living in our heads. Just an idea that we were not 100% sure how to turn into a reality. But we knew we wanted to, and that was enough.

The Marrygrams Boutique is Born

So last fall Stefanie started frequenting our local thrift and antique stores in search of furniture. (And when I say frequenting I mean she practically lived there.) Because if you want the good stuff you've got to be willing to do the work. That means learning when the good sales are, when new donations are added to inventory, and then going back week after week in search of the perfect pieces. Most days turned up nothing, but then we'd get lucky and the long hours driving all over Denver started to mean something. The first thing she brought back to the Marrygrams Boutique was this sweet little cabinet that had about a decade's worth of cobwebs lining it's corners. And it was then that my job description changed to VP of Sanding & Painting Things White. 

It's truly amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do. And we painted everything. It was important to us that the Marrygrams Boutique reflected our clean, classic aesthetic. And the best way to achieve that with our hodge-podge of furniture was to give them all the same crisp, white outfit. The more I painted, the sharper our vision became. So we got a little wild and added some rose gold IKEA shelves to the mix. And while they look amazing in the space, they were easily the most difficult thing to paint. (Pro Tip: Spray painting slippery metal shelves in the middle of winter in an enclosed space is *almost* not worth it.)

After the IKEA shelves were up we realized that there was actually too much white in our side room. So, inspired by our NSS 2017 booth, we added a blush accent wall. For whatever reason, this is when things started to feel real to me. And the more we painted the easier it became to start to envision what would soon live on in this space. So while I kept painting, Stef started shopping.

With a shop full of freshly painted furniture we were eager to start to fill it up. And then our first big shipment of Voluspa candles arrived and there was no looking back. We started to map out the boutique space and  rearranged it more than a few times. In February we tentatively started putting products on the shelves. Stefanie went to NYNOW and found some amazing brands to add to the mix and we started to get anxious about opening. More tables were painted, more boxes arrived and before we knew it we were edging ever closer to opening.

The Marrygrams Boutique Opens

I'll spare you the details of the loose end tying up, as it's not nearly as glamorous as table painting. But we did it. And on the very last day of April, we opened our doors. Completely unsure of what to expect, but so proud of all that we had accomplished in the previous 6 months. Who knew opening a shop was so much work?! (LOL)

Now here's the part where I gush about how amazing our town is. If you ever want to open a retail space, I'd definitely recommend downtown Golden. The response from our community has been overwhelmingly positive. In our first few months we've had so many other shop owners stop by to offer their insights and best wishes. And the support of our neighbors has made the unknown feel a lot less scary for sure.

And our customers have been awesome too! It's such a cool feeling to have people come in and exclaim, "This is exactly what Golden needed!" Or to have people who follow us on Instagram come introduce themselves in person. That human connection is a large part of why we decided to take the leap and open the Marrygrams Boutique anyway. Because while we love our online brides, there is something so special about getting to interact with our customers in person. And we get just as excited helping you curate the perfect gift as you do!

And what's more, we've already had a major makeover! Just this last weekend Stef did another thrift store run in search of a larger table for our main space. She didn't come back empty handed and it was back to the painting corner for me! We spent yesterday rearranging and putting out more amazing goodies and if you haven't been in in a few weeks you really should come by. It feels like a completely new space! We're so excited to continue to learn and grow in this amazing place. And we are so grateful for all of the support and feedback from our Colorado customers.

Come see us! We can't wait to meet you!
708 13th Street
Golden, CO 80401