A mobile boutique scene is bringing interior design and home accessories to Denver courtesy of a fleet of roving trucks.
According to findafashiontruck.com, there are two dozen of them cruising around the streets of the city.
“People have said, ‘I’ve seen fashion trucks and food trucks, but I’ve never seen this,’ ” says Erin Martin, owner of C’est Si Bon, a decor truck whose interior is evocative of a country farmhouse in France. “This is unique.”
“It’s incredible to see the growth just over the past year,” says Ryan Cozens, founder of Simply Guapa, a global-inspired store-on-wheels with wool blankets, apothecary goods, and pottery spanning Latin America.
“I see a new fashion truck or mobile boutique everywhere I go. I’m hopeful that increased competition only builds the community of small, creative businesses here in Colorado.”
Here’s what these two purveyors of gypsy caravans-gone-home stores hitting the streets had to say about being a decor trucker in Denver:
1. What: C’est Si Bon
Who: Erin Martin, a Mission Hills, Kan., native and former event planner.
When: Since May 2016.
Why: “I’ve always wanted a store, and having three young boys and having a storefront, you have to be there all the time, and the cost is much higher,” says Martin, who lives in Southern Hills. “I have a friend (Lindsey Trees) who has a fashion truck, Street Boutique, and I hadn’t seen anything like this, and I decided to buy a truck.”
The concept: French Farmhouse. “I’ve always gravitated more towards gifts, and the connection and the story behind the item such as pillow or a notebook,” she says. “The name [C’est Si Bon] kind of dictated it, and the rooster logo and the idea of entertaining in the home. We wanted it to be comfortable, warm and cozy like my own home. I also wanted it to be a space I want to be in. There’s no French connection at all, and I don’t speak French. I just like the aesthetic.”
How: After spotting an old Doritos truck on Craigslist (she still uses the original Frito-Lay keychain that came with it), Martin worked with interior designer Laura Iverson and graphic designer Jenn Goodrich for the concept of the 150-square-foot space with a rustic but clean-lined feel. Later, she hired Boulder-based Te Salle Construction to help with the interior, including hardwood floor, built-in bookshelves and corrugated metal siding. For finishing touches, she added custom decorative wooden ladders and a farmhouse-style wooden cabinet from Cost Plus World Market.
Expect to find: Kitchen and gift wares (ranging from $3-$200) such as striped throws and tea towels by Turkish T; herb grow kits in burlap sacks by Urban Agriculture Co.; wooden cutting boards; ceramic serving bowls; accent pillows; apothecary goods, such as soap; and candles with a signature candle scent made specifically for her boutique-on-wheels.
Home run: “It’s something of my own, and something I created, and it’s really fun,” she adds. “It’s separate from the other crazy part of my life, and one night in the neighborhood a bunch of moms and women came over and we were just hanging out in the truck drinking wine. We could have a dance party in there. It’s like a lady cave.”
Design ideas: “A guy came in the shop and found copper measuring cups, and he showed me a picture of his recently redone kitchen, and how they’d fit so well in there,” she says. “He then sent me a picture of them in his kitchen with his copper pots. I’ve also seen photos of newly purchased pillows on a couch.”
Road map: “It’s just getting going, and I want to see how it grows and where I end up going,” she says. “At some point I’d like to find a regular location, whether it’s weekly or once a month, so that people can find me and the truck.” (C’est Si Bon is often at events, like Sweet William.)
Track It: cestsibonshop.com
2. What: Simply Guapa
Who: Ryan Cozens, a Davidson, N.C., native, who works as a director of operations at Kipp Charter School in South Denver.
When: Since May 2015.
The ride: A 23-foot-long 1980 Chevrolet Grumman, which she bought for $3,500 on Craigslist.
The Concept: Global, world traveler-inspired finds mixed with local goods. “I love color and texture, so I had an idea of how I wanted those to play out in the overall design,” Cozens says. “I shared my ideas with my dad and he helped me create an actual construction plan and budget based off of that initial vision.” From there, Cozens bought all of the materials at Home Depot and had them delivered in January 2015. “All my fingers were crossed that we wouldn’t get snowed on over the next few weeks. I remember trying to install my solar panel as it was getting dark, temps were dropping, and I wondered what in the world I was getting myself into. I still have those thoughts frequently, but have learned to embrace the uncertainty.”
Expect to find: Mexican wool blankets; wool tote bags and clutches; pottery by local designer Sarah Veak; skincare line by Boulder-based Verbena; and textiles from small pueblos outside of the city of Oaxaca. “I typically land in Oaxaca and will rent a car and head out of the city to small villages like Teotitlan del Valle, Mitla and Tlacolula.”
Story teller:“I think about how I came to buy the product, and the story of the story,” she says. “I have taken buses across Oaxaca while lugging huge, heavy loads of hand-woven rugs from tiny towns to cities to bus stations to airports. I have sat in blockades for hours en route to buy bronze and stone jewelry in Chiapas.”
Behind the wheel: “I love the sense of adventure that comes with having a shop in a truck,” she says via email. “From sourcing the products to deciding where to pop up each week, there’s rarely anything that feels routine or overdone. I get to meet the coolest, most inspiring people, from the artisans in Mexico who invite me into their homes, to other truck or small business owners who are doing really innovative things and customers who share in my belief that shopping should be an experience and not just a transaction.”
On the road again: “There are a ton of challenges that come from having a shop in a truck,” she says. “I’ve had flat tires, dead batteries, hail storms and parking challenges due to no power steering. But I’d say the biggest challenge is also what makes owning a mobile boutique so exciting: that sense of adventure.”
Home parking spot: “I park it in a lot just north of the city,” she says. “My boyfriend lovingly refers to it as my junkyard.”
Find it: “I like neighborhoods with lots of foot traffic,” says Cozens. “I tend to stick around RiNo, Highlands, and other areas that offer more walkability.”
Track it: simplyguapa.com/pages/find-the-truck
