A Cow Town Goes Designer

Coco: Missoula’s Newest Designer Showcase

By Brianne Burrowes, 1-26-06

Editor's Note: This is the fifth in a series looking into how changing demographics are creating a new age in Missoula's boutique scene. Each day, New West is bringing you snapshots of the local businesses that are part of, and setting the trend. Click here to track all the installments.

	Photo by New West Photo Editor Chris Lombardi

The newest boutique to hit downtown Missoula is Coco. Open nearly two months, Coco was one of the first to set up shop in the newly revamped 300 block of North Higgins Ave.

Carrying high-end brands such as Trina Turk, Theory, Sanctuary and Diane von Furstenberg, Coco caters mainly to Missoula's 30-55 year old woman. "She's a woman who probably can afford a little bit better clothes that fit her well and make her feel good," says co-owner Alice Marquardt.

Kim Richardson, Coco's other co-owner, decided she wanted to open her own store, but wasn't big on the bookkeeping aspect. She asked Marquardt if she would be interested in keeping track of the books and managing the store with her. Marquardt agreed and before long Coco opened.

	Photo by New West Photo Editor Chris Lombardi

One of the biggest draws to a store like Coco, Marquardt says, is that before, women had to shop out-of-town or on the Internet to find the higher-end brands the store carries, but now all they have to do is make a trip to downtown Missoula.

Marquardt says the store's target shopper is someone who wants special attention and well-fitting brands. "She wants personal service -- somebody who knows her name and somebody who knows her size," Marquardt says.

Marquardt says she hopes to develop a great relationship with Coco's clientele. "A lot of these customers are our friends," she says. Either she or Richardson hopes to be on the floor at all times so the customer always recognizes a face. She says she would like Coco to have a smaller customer base that shops exclusively at the store.

Coco specializes in personal shopping for customers and dressing women for parties and special events. "When we bring something in, we usually only bring three or four pieces in," Marquardt says. Because of this, Coco customers can be rest assured the sweater they buy won't be seen all over town.

	Photo by New West Photo Editor Chris Lombardi

Also, because both Marquardt and Richardson have children of their own, (Marquardt has a 10-year-old and a seven-year-old and Richardson has an 18-month-old) it's important the clothes they sell are nice enough to be worn in the office but also can be worn when picking up kids from school.

A new customer to Coco might gawk at the prices but Marquardt says they're not out of the question for many Missoulians. "There's a lot of people relocating here who are comfortable in this price range," she says. A lot of the customers Coco has seen so far, she says, are familiar with the brands the store carries and therefore, the prices. "We were happy we didn't have to justify the quality and the price to people," she says.

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