We recently connected with Ayellet Rubinstein and have shared our conversation below.

Ayellet, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I was already in retail for many years, co- owning a business , but wanted to start my own thing. I had the buying/ selling experience and wanted more control with the esthetics of the physical space I would choose.
I also had interest in home decor, and wanted to break away from what the cookie cutter large stores had to offer. I wanted to offer unique and different home decor options to my clients. Refurbished, reclaimed, antiques as well as new pieces of furniture .
That’s how the idea of a lifestyle boutique came about. I wanted to not only offer the product, but the experience of finding
the right piece of clothing or furniture. That is what makes me exited. To see someone walk into the shop, and smile, because they are having a great sensory experience .

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve always appreciated high quality and fine clothing, decor and anything fine really. When I was young, growing up in Israel, I ran a small boutique in Tel-Aviv and loved it.
After I moved to Pittsburgh in 1990, I started working at a local boutique called Adeles, and learned a lot about customer service from my then manager Carol Hackett. She was knowledgable, had great connections, but most of all she was a great human being. She taught me the core essence of tending to customers.
After a few years at Adeles, I started working at Footloose in Shadyside which was my then husband’s family business.
My father in law wanted me to come on board and said the best thing I could do is watch the manager. Again, watching the pros in action is the best school. when the family opened the second location in Mt. Lebanon, I started going on buying trips and met the designers and other retail companies representatives. I learned about the collections, and the process of the buy.
I learned that in order to build a core customer following, you have to have several key components: passion for what you do, product knowledge, consistency, and patience .
When I opened Rue Boutique, I wanted to have a unique assortment of product, and the quality and fit had to be superb.
I pick every piece of furnishings, decor and clothing with great care.
That means traveling continually to find the right product, but also having a critical eye and knowing what to bring in.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

When I decided to start my own business, I had no funds to get it started. What I did have is a vision of exactly what it was going to look like and an extensive experience in retail.
I hired CPA to help me create a business plan and he also guided me through applying to different entities for a business loan.
When the time came for a meeting with the lenders, I had my pitch ready. Essentially I was selling myself. My idea, vision and how I was going to execute my vision.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Creating trust with your audience. Delivering what you speak about – quality, fit and product knowledge .
Connecting with our clients on a personal level. Genuinely getting to know them and who they are, what they like etc.
Customer retention: staying in touch, following up on questions they had or any other inquiry.

Contact Info:

• Website: rueboutique.com
• Instagram: rueboutiqueshop
• Facebook: rueboutiquepa

Image Credits
Alainah Sfamenos Ayellet Rubinstein