Business is relocating into an updated spot across the street and has lots of great inventory at a discount
—For women in search of a lovely boutique to experience, where unequaled service and merchandise caters to discerning taste, look no further than Apropos. Downtown San Luis Obispo is a lovely place to enjoy many noteworthy offerings- from shopping and restaurants to mission history and much more. Apropos is an excellent example of what happens when sophisticated style, personalized assistance, and a great location come together. Its specialty is providing excellent personal service and superb quality clothing from casual to dressy, amazing jewelry, gifts and much more.
Natalie Risner began Apropos in San Luis Obispo with her mother Laura Bjorklund, in 2002. They decided to open the shop after Risner attended college, and the two saw that there was a hole in the market. San Luis Obispo wasn’t known to have a lot of mature, high-quality women’s clothing of all sizes. Apropos is unlike any store in the area, and this special boutique has several locations across the Central Coast. It has been a staple of the downtown for the last 2 decades, and at the end of the year, the boutique plans on closing the original location- which will be permanently moving to a new spot across the street.
Apropos is a family run business where family and employees all work closely together to maintain a hometown feel in our growing downtown. Growing up, Risner was a shop kid and learned how to run a business with her mom, who started “Up Your Alley” clothing store in 1976. After high school, Risner attended college for merchandising and marketing at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.)
Risner said, “Customers love our high-end brands like Johnny Was, Cut Loose, La Vie Parisienne, Tribal, Jag Jeans and more. We seek the most distinguished brands that can withstand the test of time, and wash well. Our hand-selected clothes are essentials of any well-organized wardrobe. This isn’t fast fashion, it’s quite the opposite.”
Reviewer Saralee S. on yelp.com said, “The owners of this store used to have a boutique called “Up Your Alley,” which was one of the most imaginative stores in town. Apropos follows that trend by featuring lavishly embroidered clothes with a romantic and retro vibe. The mother-daughter team who are often present, are fun and full of information on the clothing lines, which no other store in town carry. There is a full range of sizes here. I often buy what has become my most basic staples for my wardrobe here, and thanks to the little pink sales notices that appear in my mailbox, I often score a sale. I am currently sporting a pair of perfectly fitting jeans with black embroidery and “jewels” up the side that mimic a pair of Versace jeans I flirted with in Las Vegas. These are much more practical and will survive many seasons. I have also gotten black stretch jeans that fit like a glove and lasted forever, or at least more than one year. One of my pals got what became her “go-to” shirt, a navy blue silk smock with a deep V neck, embroidered with flowers and fruit. Apropos also has perhaps the best stock of bridesmaid or mother of the bride type dresses in town. These romantic gowns range flirty to fabulous and are sure to flatter. These are practical clothes with a touch of glamour. My most recent purchase is a “costume fur” chinchilla vest that reverses to a sport vest with a reversible zipper. This has been by constant companion this cold, wet winter. If you are in town, be sure to peruse their lovely and romantic merchandise.”
She continued, “You don’t have to be a size 6 or 8, Apropos carries up to a 16. We focus on the customer as an individual to find a really good fit- and it helps women feel really good about what they are wearing. It’s empowering to dress well, and helps everything in life to feel good about yourself.”
Risner said, “Customers can find something wonderful to wear-from casual jeans and t-shirts, to dressy things for special occasions and black tie events. Browse our great selection of gift items, soaps, purses, accessories, jewelry and home accents. We are fully stocked and carry items from local makers, and we love to bring the unique lines of clothing that you don’t see everywhere else. Half of the brands we carry are made in the USA.”
Just recently they’ve started participating in Art After Dark at their new location, where visitors can shop around at night in the store every first Friday and enjoy a local artist’s work and refreshments from 6-9 p.m. Watch for great new winter wardrobe options and big sales this season before the final move.
Apropos is located at 1022 Morro St. in San Luis Obispo. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m Monday-Saturday, and 12 p.m.-4 p.m. on Sundays. For more information call (805)784-0664 or visit www.shopapropos.com.
-Cassandra Frey
