With a new micro-boutique on the grounds of The Point Park and Eats in Leon Springs, one entrepreneurial woman is helping redefine eco-positive style.
Interview and photographs by Pamela Price
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Even as a teenager Stephanie Romero knew a good thrift-shop find on sight, and her love of artisan and handmade goods has grown alongside her passion for eco-savvy fashion and accessories. Earlier this year she began teasing out how to take those talents and interests to the next level by moving her growing online sales to a bricks-and-mortar space.
Romero calls her new 200-square-foot The Bexarracks shop on Boerne Stage Road a “micro-boutique,” but don’t underestimate the big style on display. From handmade scarves and art to vintage clothing and accessories, Romero’s heavily curated collection is a treasure trove of authentic Texas style.
To learn more about the shopkeeper, we invited Romero to answer a few questions. But first, here’s a quick look inside her shop via our Instagram page:
View this post on Instagram
On her Texas roots
“I’m a Texas native. I grew up in and around the Hill Country area for most of my life, and I currently live in a small farming community near Salado with my husband, daughter, son, and our four wonderful fur babies: Deniro, Coco, Comrad, and Mr. Darcy. We love traveling across the area and visiting places like Concan,, Frio Country Resort, Bandera’s Hill Country State Natural Area, Fredericksburg Trade Days, and the annual Balloons over Horseshoe Bay Resort festival.
In 2014, I made the difficult decision to hang up my stethoscope after spending 20 years in the medical field. It took some time to figure out what the next phase would be, career-wise, but I finally decided to turn my passion for vintage and thrift shopping into a small business.”
On the origins of her business
“The Bexarracks (formerly Neon Lemonade Resale) was launched about four years ago. I knew I wanted to create a business model that would lead with a small footprint, have a positive environmental impact, and have the ability support other women entrepreneurs along the way. So, with the encouragement of my family, I took the plunge and started my small business–a thrift and consignment business based on social media.”
On the shop’s unusual name
“The name is a fun play on words. Obviously, there’s the reference to the county (Bexar) in which the shop sits, but the building in which the boutique is located was once a military officers’ barrack in the 1940s.”
On the meaning of “micro-boutique”
“The boutique itself features a hand selection of gifts, clothing, jewelry, beauty products, and decor items from local handmade artisans, and Texas-based clothing designers. I’m planning an online store, too, that will carry many of the products available in the boutique. It will also include a selection of quality secondhand clothing. So ‘micro-boutique’ comes from my desire to have a manageable space with a small footprint.”
In calling it a micro-boutique, I also wanted to ensure everything else was done with the same intention. That means, for me, ‘quality over quantity, handmade over machine made, unique over typical, personal over generic.’
Most items available in the boutique are handmade and produce in small batches. I personally meet with every artisan and get to know them and the story behind their work before offering it to our customers. In addition, the boutique will host co-working opportunities for small business entrepreneurs, artisans, artist, and makers to help foster networking and business relationships.”
On the fashion industry
“It is finicky! Trends come and go, labels come and go, and not to mention understanding the ins and outs of fabric like fit, cut, and style. It’s especially challenging when it comes to vintage and secondhand clothing, due to changes in the fabric from wear and tear or alterations. It takes time to gain all that knowledge. Then add in the operational side of running a business; even on a small scale things can get hard. There is a lot of detail that goes into having a boutique. Just like other industries there is a peak season and a slow season. Keeping business going at times can be tough, but in the end, I can say it’s still all worth it.”
On becoming a woman business owner
“It’s been tough navigating through work and life balance. It’s hard sometimes to remain focus on the bigger picture when you have to forfeit spending time with friends an family, but more importantly, I miss getting to make my kids home cooked meals, playing with my fur babies, and just being able to relax and hang out with my husband at home. This makes it challenging, at times, but I just remind myself of how I started this journey in the first place which was through the love, faith, and support, of my family. I couldn’t have made it without them. I’m especially grateful to my sister, Denise Aguirre of The Point Park and Eats, and of my husband and parents. The future looks bright, and I can’t wait to see what the coming year has in store.”
Explore More
The Bexarracks is located at 24194 Boerne Stage Rd. in unincorporated Leon Springs (map it!) inside the The Point Park & Eats complex next to Just the Drip coffee house. The shop is open Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 to 4:00 p.m. You can follow The Bexarracks on Facebook and Instagram, and see the new website at TheBexarracks.com.
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