When L of a Boutique opened in Leawood a few months ago, it was a dream come true for owner Lynette Henkel. While the store is new, Henkel is an old pro at finding and selling unique gifts, purses and jewelry and clothing. She’s been running the business out of her house for 10 years. And in a way, it’s a family business.
“My mom, Bea, has run B’s Bags in the Chicago area for the past 27 years,” says Henkel. “Her focus is handbags and she mainly participates in shows and charity events. I worked for her in college.”
After she married, her husband’s job brought her to Kansas City. Henkel worked at The University of Kansas Medical Center as marketing director of its fitness center.
“I used to carry the handbags my mom sold and would get lots of compli- ments,” says Henkel. “Eventually I started taking orders and selling them to coworkers.”
When Henkel left her job to start a family, she still wanted to earn some money. She began selling jewelry at craft shows. But people kept asking for those wonderful handbags. Over time, she added a variety of products to her line including unique gifts, scarves, outerwear and seasonal items.
Henkel’s business continued to grow and eventually she opened a showroom in her basement where she held open houses every eight weeks or so. And she participated in more and more of the big charity boutique events in the area.
“I enjoyed selling at these events, but transporting merchandise from place to place is physically taxing. I began thinking about opening a store of my own.”
After much planning “and a lot of prayer,” Henkel said she found the perfect location in Leawood Plaza at 123rd and State Line. “People liked the laid back and personal environment of my home boutique and I tried to recreate that feeling in the new store.”
One of her favorite aspects of the store is the tween area. “I think there’s a missing element for these young girls. I know because I have two daughters ages 9 and 11,” says Henkel. “I hope moms and daughters can come into the store and find distinctive and well-priced gifts for friends or themselves.”
Henkel said she’s still best known for the variety and quality of her handbags. She and her mother shop 10 markets around the country each year to find the best products.
“I work hard to find unique items that you won’t find anywhere else,” says Henkel. “I love to hear from my customers that they get constant compli- ments on their handbags, cute shoes or sassy sweater.”
Henkel said she makes sure her price-points are reasonable without compro- mising quality. “And my merchandise is constantly changing too, which keeps it fresh and fun!”
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