High-end boutique Tulipano opening in Lane Parke

Before moving to Atlanta in the early 2000s, Mary Swanson worked in Mountain Brook Village at a store called Nicole Miller. Now, she’s coming back to her old stomping grounds with her own store: Tulipano.

Located at 230 Rele St. in Lane Parke in early February, this is the second location of the boutique. 

After Swanson moved to Buckhead, she worked at a boutique, which closed after she had been there for about eight months. Instead of going on a job hunt, however, Swanson and two female coworkers took the empty storefront and created Tulipano.

“It kinda just happened really fast,” she said. “It just happened perfectly.” 

Because a boutique previously stood in the same location and there were still familiar faces greeting shoppers, Swanson said they maintained a solid customer base. Since 2010, Swanson has been the sole proprietor of Tulipano.

Swanson described her store as a high-end boutique for women who appreciate and love fashion and aren’t afraid to try something new. 

“We’re not too forward, but we definitely try to evolve and try to stay with the current trends and try to remain classic,” she said.

While the store is located in the south, much of the merchandise in Tulipano comes from New York, where Swanson said they can see upcoming trends six months to a year in advance. But to help customers master their closest and the newest styles, she and her “tarts,” or stylists, offer in-store advice.

“That’s probably our biggest thing,” she said. “It’s a lot of styling, because we love that.” 

Depending on how a customer may accessorize an outfit, Swanson said Tulipano carries clothing from everyday use to evening options, and even a few black-tie pieces. They offer handbags, belts, jewelry and shoes to help customers put together their closets and their outfits, too.

“We’ve got it all,” she said. “We can literally outfit you from head to toe.”

Tulipano also offers a special “trousseau” or bridal discount for brides looking for something special in celebration of their big day. Swanson said brides get 15 percent off throughout their engagement, including rehearsal dinner dresses, honeymoon purchases or gifts for their engagement party. 

Swanson said she has wanted to open a storefront in the Birmingham area for a while, but until recently, couldn’t find the right location. 

“I always thought it would be a good market there,” she said. 

She saw the new shopping center in December 2016, and thought, “This might be it.”  

“It just feels like a natural place to open up,” she said of her hometown.

With her store in Mountain Brook, Swanson is hoping to continue making women feel good about themselves while introducing them to new styles and pieces for their wardrobe.

“In the biggest way, I feel like we have become more client based [through regulars] … We’ve really developed a lot of trust over the years,” she said. “They [our customers] trust us, and it’s like the coolest thing.” 

And she’s looking forward to seeing her old friends, too.

“I love Mountain Brook, I love all the villages … I just think there’s a good energy there and I’ve always felt that way,” she said. “I think that they’re ready for something a little more unique, a little different.”

Tulipano will be open from Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit shoptulipano.com.