FOUND: Clarksville’s Whimsical New Boutique
Clarksville’s whimsical new boutique is destined to be your home away from home.
When customers walk into FOUND, owner Stacey Smith wants them to feel right at home. “I want people to kick off their shoes and just not be so serious,” she says, laughing. For women looking for a destination clothing store stocked with high-quality pieces and accessories from the likes of Trina Turk, Zac Posen, Diane Von Furstenberg, Nanette Lepore and Marchesa Voyage, among many others, FOUND will undoubtedly feel like home.
Like the collection she curates, Smith has put thought into every detail of the store, which opened in October in a classic Clarksville bungalow on Oakland Avenue and West Fifth Street. When Smith found the space, it was in bad shape and in need of a total renovation. With architects Clayton & Little at the helm, the house was stripped to the studs and emerged a chic, modern storefront that pays homage to the classic West Austin neighborhood that surrounds it.
Once inside, customers are treated to the bold, bright interiors of Heather Scott Home & Design—and pretty much anything else their heart desires. Smith, who cheekily calls herself a “fashion therapist” based on her years spent working in both retail and as a counselor, wants every customer to walk away satisfied.
If a customer wants an item of clothing? “We will track it down,” she says. “We will do whatever we can do to get it into the customer’s hands.” And this extends to more than just FOUND’s high-quality clothing and accessories. Dressing rooms come equipped with a cocktail menu, personalized music playlists and even a button that simply says, “Press for Champagne.” If a customer is feeling peckish, Smith and her staff will order lunch or dinner to be delivered directly to the store. “We want people to walk in and have fun,” Smith says.
FOUND is the result of Smith’s years spent working in retail, most recently launching The Impeccable Pig on South Congress. For Smith, who hails from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, opening “the Pig” was a crash course in Austin retail. So she decided to create it herself, a whimsical, no-pressure place where customers could leave their insecurities at the door and be taken care of by fashion experts. In the few weeks since the shop opened, it seems many Austinites have been clamoring for the same thing. She says: “We get so many people in here who say, “I’m so glad something like this has arrived.’” So are we.