Yes, this boutique is named after Frida Kahlo, the artist and wife of Diego Rivera. And no, the store doesn't have any connection to the new exhibit that's about to open up at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Actually, the name has more to do with the fact that Kahlo once lived in the Park Shelton, the building in which the boutique called Frida now lives.
The store's owner, Rachel Lutz, says she wanted to name her first store, the Peacock Room, after the famous Mexican artist but thought people wouldn't like it. When she closed down her former pop-up boutique, Emerald, she decided to just go for it. Lutz says unlike its predecessor this store is permanent so we can expect it to be around for quite a while.
Opened in October 2014, the store has already seen great success, says Lutz. Proving, she says, that the retail market in Detroit is vastly underserved. Frida definitely fills a void for shoppers, especially women. Lutz stocks a bevy of breezy, gauzy dresses and tops that call to mind a casual Mexican style as well as warm-colored beaded jewelry, butterfly-emblazoned purses and bags, sugar skull emery boards, slouchy boho bags, and plenty more.
If you see something you like at Frida, we caution you to just buy it now. Lutz stocks a limited number of any one item (around five or six), which she says makes everything in the store just a little more special. She also never stocks anything she sees online and tries to specialize in certain items. The result is a store that has an ever-changing stock of beautiful and unique finds — a delicious and much-needed addition to the shopping scene in Detroit.
