SPONSORED CONTENT: They’re both Wellesley business owners and talented creatives who met ten years ago at a holiday show. Sara Campbell (yes, that Sara Campbell, the one with the timeless women’s clothing store in Linden Square) was impressed with the design sense Zoë Forbes showed in putting together her small display booth. One thing led to another, and Sara hired Zoë to help with the indoor and outdoor holiday décor at her home.
Fast forward to 2021, when Zoë opened Fleuri in Wellesley, specializing in fresh florals, container gardens and permanent botanical design. Now she and Sara were not only long-time design collaborators, they shared storefront locations within steps of one another in Wellesley’s Linden Square as well as Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.
Women helping women
From the start, Zoë was impressed with Sara’s ability to juggle the work-life balance, and her razor-sharp, no-nonsense sensibility. “Here was Sarah, the CEO of a huge retail company who was still very much involved in all aspects of her operation from the ground-up, all while raising a family. And she still made time to inspire and advise me as a newcomer on how to start and grow my own new venture,” Zoë said.
“Zoë, like myself, has a deep commitment to community partnership and local philanthropy,” Sara said. “Plus, we’re both all about the customer experience and product quality. I’ve always got time to offer up advice, but it’s her drive to create a boutique experience at Fleuri that is the larger driver of her success.”
It’s a special time
In honor of National Women’s Small Business Month, Sara Campbell and Fleuri have partnered on an exclusive discount offer for their clients to receive 15% off an item when they show a receipt from the other retailer, valid through December 24th.
Learn more about Fleuri and Sara Campbell
About Fleuri
Fleuri’s founder and resident designer, Zoë Forbes, has been adding Fleuri’s signature aesthetic to hospitality, retail, residential, event and outdoor spaces throughout the Greater Boston area since 2008. Specializing in fresh florals, container gardens and permanent botanical design, Fleuri’s two storefronts feature an extraordinary collection of permanent stems, fresh and faux plants and fresh arrangements that bring a vibrant sophistication into any space. Fleuri’s retail experience also features carefully curated gifts, holiday décor, and must-have home accent pieces with an effortlessly chic appeal.
A former lawyer with a specific interest in immigration non-profit law and advocacy, Zoë stumbled upon her talent for floral arranging and container gardening when she took a professional hiatus to raise her three boys while living in Wellesley. As her homegrown business expanded, she envisioned opening a brick & mortar to create an inspired, immersive space with a neighborhood feel. After a series of pop-ups, Zoë successfully launched her first retail location in Chestnut Hill in the Fall of 2018 before moving to Wellesley’s Linden Square this past summer. In September, Fleuri opened a second location in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill.
Fleuri is particularly proud of its partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts (NAMI Mass) whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people diagnosed with mental health conditions and their families through support, advocacy and awareness efforts. Other community partnerships include Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club, Raising a Reader, the Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center, as well as local schools and PTO programs.
About Sara Campbell
Sara grew up in La Jolla, California with four sisters and one brother. She learned to sew at age six from her sister Meg and began making dresses for dolls. Soon after, Sara’s mother enrolled her in sewing classes and they drove for 45 minutes to Singer Sewing Center each week. There, her passion was born! From making dance recital dresses to quilts for her boyfriends, every drop of Sara’s babysitting allowance went to purchasing luxury fabrics. An enthusiasm for special fabrics continues to be the soul of her creative process.
In 2009, the first Sara Campbell “pop-up” boutique opened in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Sara connected with St. Jude’s Research Hospital to share a portion of the proceeds and donated the Art Room to their facility in Memphis, Tennessee.
Success followed the Wellesley opening and the brand “popped up” again on Nantucket. Today, there are 22 Sara Campbell boutiques down the east coast, mid-Atlantic, and mid-west. Those early “pop-ups” are now permanent fixtures to the fleet of boutiques, with Wellesley as the company’s flagship store. It is the only store to carry every style the collection offers.
Sara has always been one for customer experience and quality, putting majority of the focus into the “boutique” experience, ensuring her customers are not only investing in top-quality apparel, but top-quality customer service and relationships. For 10 years, Sara Campbell was strictly an in-person shopping experience in order to ensure those top-quality experiences for her customers. However, with the birth of COVID-19 in 2020, Sara reluctantly jumped into expanding her business to e-commerce and social media on top of maintaining her 22 boutiques.
Sara Campbell has upheld a distinct and well-known mission in the fashion industry based on excellent customer service, philanthropic giving, and manufacturing in the USA.
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