2004 is a big year for 1154 LILL! As we’ve grown through the years, we have attracted customers from cities across the U.S. We get emails daily asking us to “open a LILL Store in my city!” Owner Jennifer Velarde and V.P. Robin Newberry scout several top city suggestions in 2003 deciding finally on Newbury Street in Boston as the next best spot for an 1154 LILL STUDIO boutique in 2004.

In March, we open our Boston store in an adorable brownstone walk-up at 220 Newbury Street, with our new store manager Laurie Strong at the helm. Laurie is supported by an amazing team of new LILL stylists and assistant managers who quickly bring the LILL love to bean-town customers.

At the same time, we launch the custom-order portion of our website at www.1154lill.com, allowing customers to mix and match fabrics to design their own bag online. This finally brings our core “product + experience” package to our web store.

In August we celebrate 5 years in business as the original custom handbag boutique. To commemorate the milestone, we go back to our roots and re-introduce the Home Handbag Party concept thru new “LILL on Location ” representatives. Starting with Minneapolis and L.A., we quickly add to the home party program with reps in Chicago, Columbus, Detroit and Denver.

Around the same time, Jen becomes aware of a retail space available on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, MO. As Kansas City is on the list of potential future cities, and since space on the Plaza isn’t easy to come by, we jump at the opportunity to open a third location in time for the holidays. In October we open our Kansas City store at 4725 Broadway on the Plaza.

Throughout this year we add additional members to our Chicago-based production Headquarters staff including Adrienne Stallman, Imelda Flores, Donna Clark, Imelda Neri,and Katie Loncar. New friends are added as stylists in all three store locations. The LILL family is growing both with new staff and also with the addition of Jennifer Velarde’s first baby, a son named Joey.