Nicole Montanez is the new owner of Vivian’s Boutique by Nicole.
When brown paper went up in the windows of long-time clothier Vivian Foster’s store on Via de la Paz at the end of July, residents were concerned. For 38 years Foster had been a mainstay of women’s fashion in Pacific Palisades. She sold sizes from small to XX-large, and her clothing was fashionable and affordable.
On August 1, the store reopened with a new owner, Nicole Montanez.
“When I heard that Vivian was going to retire, I thought a store might be fun,” said Montanez, a Palisades resident. She rode her bike to the store, went inside and told Foster, “I want to buy it.”
Montanez, a nurse, spent July with Vivian, learning and developing relationships with people that Vivian knew and learning about the merchandise.
Montanez is carrying some of Vivan’s brands, but “I also added additional brands and expanded our merchandise,” she said, noting she now carries pajamas, lingerie and underwear. She will continue to carry clothes in multiple sizes.
She has reorganized the store, giving it a roomier feel. “I just want people to feel good,” she said. and pointed out that someone might not feel so good inside, and it might be as simple as coming into the story and “putting on something pretty that brightens your day.”
Montanez is well known at Palisades High School because she works there as the school nurse. “I’ve been a nurse for 16 years,” she said, and has worked in intensive care, emergency room, oncology and informatics.
She grew up in San Diego and is an alumnus of the University of Southern California. Not only does she have a master’s degree in nursing, but also in business administration. She plans to continue her position at PaliHi, as well as running the store.
“It’s fun to do both things: it uses the left brain – right brain,” Montanez said.
The store name will be Vivian’s Boutique by Nicole. “I wanted to continue Vivian’s legacy of having fantastic pieces that made others feel good inside and out,” Montanez said. “It was important to me to keep the name because of her legacy of 38 years in Pacific Palisades. I wanted to honor her and the history.”
Montanez invites residents to stop by for wine Wednesday or just stop by and say hello.
The store is located at 875 Via de la Paz and is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The phone number is (310) 573-1326 https://www.viviansboutique.com/
Danika Dallas-Blank holds up the pajamas that are sold at the store.
My walking partner and I saw the new store last night and were both delighted and surprised by the wonderful changes to Vivian’s. We can’t wait to get back there to do some shopping when it is open. Clearly, a labor of love!