Less is More for Owners of Olive Boutique in Redmond

Kerrie Lynn Wilton and Michele Fox have kept up with a lot of trends in Redmond, and they are currently embracing a move to the center of town as more businesses and residences become concentrated there.

“We wanted to be part of this revitalization,” Fox said.

For the small-scale , it’s also a symbol of the times. At about 300 square feet, the new location at 7975 Leary Way is just a fraction of the partners’ original 1,500-square-foot West-Coast contemporary boutique storefront at the Village at Redmond Ridge, but they are thrilled with the intimacy of the location and its visibility right downtown.

The once bustling Novelty Hill location, where Olive has sold comfortable, chic clothing since 2006 was hit hard by the recession. Fox and Wilton considered several options, including moving to all-online sales or even closing, but a common family situation helped convince them to stay open.

“We thought about closing, but realized we’re going to be empty-nesters soon,” Wilton says. The women, both of whom have lived here for more than 20 years, met through school functions when their oldest children were not so old, and have been fast friends ever since.

The business has been fun and interesting for the partners and they have a synchronicity and energy together that is infectious.

Fox is 5-feet tall, while Wilton is 5’5”, and they wear the same size but have different tastes in clothing, attributes they utilize to pick clothing for the store.

“When we go on buying trips, we buy for both fits. Our tastes are different, so we figure if we both like something, it will transcend those differences,” and be popular with customers, Wilton said.

Though the new smaller space will force them to be even more choosy, Fox and Wilton said they’ve always been careful to not overbuy for Olive. They’ve also made some adjustments in the new store, which they completely remodeled inside themselves over the summer. 

A new type of hanger has allowed them to display more clothing in the smaller space, but they also will operate on a lean inventory principle, which fits with their philosophy of carrying unique but stylish items.

“We don’t want to be the bulk shopping store,” Fox said.

Instead, they choose a few select pieces from popular West Coast clothing lines such as Free People and Wild Fox.

They operate the store on a basic idea that Wilton said helps her to deal with her own “shopaholic” tendencies. She decided long ago that instead of buying whatever new things she could it was better to buy one nice piece each month, so she will always have nice clothes.

Wilton and Fox are currently operating both locations, but the Redmond Ridge location will be closing at the end of the month when its lease is up. The new Olive location is open now and will hold a grand opening after the transition is complete, likely in January.