Now with three stores, an interactive custom website and eight Local LILL reps, we find ourselves starting out the year as a much larger company than in years past. And with additional, amazing people, we are able to accomplish great things.

We start out by changing our turn-around time for custom orders from 4 weeks to 3. (Customers comment on how they love being surprised by a turn-around time that’s often even shorter than this!)

Another change is the introduction of our new Fundraising by Design program, where we help charity groups fundraise for their cause by donating a percentage of sales from their Handbag Party. We are excited to expand our charitable giving in this way, as we feel strongly about supporting the communities of which we are a part of.

Over the year, we expand our LILL on Location home party program even further to include reps in Atlanta, Bethesda (D.C. area), Boston, Central New Jersey, Cleveland, Dallas, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Long Island, Louisville, Nashville, Omaha, Philadelphia, Portland, Providence, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, and St. Paul.

As in-store Handbag Parties and group appointments continue to gain popularity in all three locations, it becomes especially apparent that we are running short on space in our Chicago boutique in particular. Owner Jennifer Velarde searches for a new storefront location to accommodate the Chicago traffic and high number of parties and finds a perfect spot on hip, boutique-lined Armitage Avenue, not too far from our current store in Lincoln Park.

On December first, we open the doors to our new two-story “Flagship” LILL location. This rehabbed Victorian brownstone has high ceilings and tons of charm, not to mention a great address at 904 W. Armitage, plus plenty of space for private parties upstairs. 1154 LILL STUDIO has found a new home in Chicago.