SOME PEOPLE DREAM ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IN LIFE. SOME PEOPLE, like the mother-daughter duo behind Julep, a women’s apparel boutique in Downtown Charleston, actually transform their dream into reality.
Mother Barbara Griesedieck and daughter Corinn Brunson originally opened Julep in 2016 on King Street. Four years later, they moved their thriving boutique to charming Queen Street. Their backstory in the apparel industry is a long one. Griesedieck has worked in women’s fashion and specifically in boutiques since she was still raising young Corinn and her siblings in St. Louis, Missouri. “My mentor owned a boutique and let me bring Corinn into the shop while I worked,” Griesedieck says. “Corinn would rather look at line sheets—documents in which fashion brands showcase their collections—than read children’s books. That’s where her love of fashion began.”
After Brunson graduated from the College of Charleston and the family was situated in Charleston, the mother and daughter began to dream of opening their own boutique. When an opportunity to take over an existing shop on King Street surfaced, they took the leap and made it their own. “It’s wonderful to work together,” Brunson says.
They both enjoy the thrill and adventure of traveling to markets in New York City and Miami to scout out fresh, new brands to bring to their Julep customers. “It brings us such joy to go to market together,” says Griesedieck. “We’re on the same wavelength about what brands to buy; if there is ever any discrepancy, I let my younger, hipper version (Corinn) have the final say.”
To remain distinctive in the busy Charleston boutique market, the Julep team searches for emerging fashion brands that have not yet been discovered by the masses. The women have added such apparel lines as Parisian-based Tara Jarmon, which touts its offerings as “everyday elegance”; Italian brand ottod’Ame for its casual chic style; and hyper-fashionable Milan’s sophisticated and timeless womenswear line Beatrice .b. “We focus on bringing in quality pieces that last,” says Griesedieck. “This allows our customers to build customized wardrobes around timeless pieces.”
Having unique brands is a differentiator for Julep but also a challenge. “The biggest issue we face is finding brands that not everyone in the Charleston area is already carrying,” Brunson says. “We take on brands that are loyal to us. I love it when a customer says, ‘Wow! I’ve never seen that product line before.’ They know they will only find it at Julep and not see it all around town.” She and her mother often seek out young, fashion-forward brands in Europe and South America. “We like to find them early, before they are well-known,” Brunson adds. “We always try to bring something new and special to our clients.”
Julep caters to successful women who know what they want in life and in their wardrobes. “Our main clientele are women who are sophisticated, worldly and traveled, and who like a curated wardrobe,” Griesedieck says.
Customers are top of mind for the mother-daughter duo when they take trips several times per year to scour the apparel markets. “We have established strong relationships with our repeat customers and enjoy choosing pieces at market with specific clients in mind,” Brunson says. “We even have some amazing customers to whom I’ve been shipping boxes for years but have never met face-to-face. We talk so much, it feels like I am shopping for my close friends. I know their sizes and what appeals to them.”
Julep has a loyal following in Charleston but also counts many women outside of the state as customers, who buy through Instagram and the website. “However they find us, we want their shopping experience to be fun and engaging,” Griesedieck says.
For the fall, Griesedieck and Brunson are bringing in lots of blazers and transitional pieces, such as lightweight cotton shirts and sweaters, in fall colors—a perfect complement to Charleston’s mild fall nights. “Blazers are really hot right now,” Griesedieck says. “They instantly elevate a look.” Julep also stocks wool coats for those few weeks in the wintertime when a blazer is not quite warm enough. “Shoppers come to us for statement pieces,” says Brunson. “When they have a special soiree or a wedding to attend, Julep is the place to find something classic and exclusive.”
Career-minded women also shop Julep to find quality separates, such as Italian-designed pants, blazers and blouses, that give a professional edge. “Women in Charleston dress well; they make an effort,” says Griesedieck. “We also sell a lot of dresses, whether for daytime or night parties. It’s an easy look for the Lowcountry; you can quickly pull on a dress and instantly look put together.”
While mother and daughter love working and traveling together, Julep is really a larger family affair. “It takes a village,” Brunson says. “My dad helps out behind the scenes, and my sisters also enjoy accompanying us to market and working in the shop.”
The family works diligently to grow the boutique so there is always something new to discover. “Retail is a roller coaster. Charleston has evolved so much since we started Julep,” Brunson says. “It has been a constant pivot to always supply something fresh and new to the market, but we’re still here.”
As part of the pivoting process, Julep recently began a new collaboration with JAHDE Leather Atelier, another female-owned retailer. Together, they merchandise both of their goods on two floors of their Queen Street shop and promote each other’s businesses and product lines. It’s this creativity and ingenuity that helps Julep thrive and be there for its customers with something new and exciting on a regular basis. *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
