OCTOBER 2 0 1 8 I BOROMAG.COM 19
@ thebrassowl
@ lovedayqueen
Boutiqueloo is run by Rebekah Thornhill and
Kirsten Penaloza, two local makers Dokle connected
with through the NYC Made Market.
In fact, Boutiqueloo became the art gallery
shop it is today in large part because Penaloza
saw potential in the Boutiqueloo space, already
owned by Dokle, and inquired about it.
“I saw the storefront, I saw it was empty —
there were a few things in there, but it wasn't
really open,” Penaloza recalled. “So I started
to think like, it would be amazing to use this
space for artists — all the ones that were in the
market at that time.”
So she approached the owner about doing
something with the shop, and both Thornhill
and Dokle became enthusiastically involved.
“I just had to say one small thing, and she
already elaborated perfectly what I had in
mind,” Penaloza said of Thornhill. “And so it
was like a really good match from the beginning.”
Thornhill, by the way, 3-D prints jewelry
through her business, R+D, where she sells
quirky earrings like 3-D printed slices of pizza,
roaring T-Rexes, and origami cranes.
“I do all the designs myself, and they're
all using a biodegradable plastic so that it's
a little bit more responsible toward the environment,”
Thornhill explained. “It'll biodegrade
in six months in a commercial facility.”
However, she emphasized that the earrings
will not disintegrate on her customers' ears.
“I get that question a lot,” she said, laughing.
“That does not happen — it is perfectly wearable
and ready to go.”
Penaloza, on the other hand, runs Bodhi
Leaf Designs, which specializes mainly in
vegan soap and skincare. However, since
her brand's mission is to promote a positive
message, she wanted to include that in her
products, too.
“I thought, 'OK, the soap doesn't say anything
about tolerance and compassion,'”
Penaloza recalled. “So I started to put little
lucky charms around them.” Her soaps are
wrapped in beautiful fabric, tied off with dainty
trinkets, which add a bit more personality
and meaning to her products.
And while Dokle, Thornhill, and Penaloza
will all sell their wares in the revamped Boutiqueloo
storefront, they've been meeting
with other local artists and makers to sell their
products there, too.
“There will be different makers that will be
behind the desk selling, but it's never like,
upselling your own product over someone
else's or anything,” Thornhill expressed. “It really
is a collaboration and everyone is trying
to help each other succeed.”