CHIC, COZY AND DARK-WASH DENIM: Maryville boutiques prep for winter shopping
LOCALLY
LAYERED
CHIC, COZY AND DARK-WASH DENIM: Maryville boutiques prep for winter shopping
BY MATHAUS SCHWARZEN
As the winter winds settle into Blount County, boutiques around town can agree that one item is selling big – denim.
“ Anything denim is going right now,” Reina Kant told The Daily Times in a phone interview. A former Maryville High School teacher, she’ s now the owner of Razberries Boutique— a purveyor of clothing at 220 Court St. in Maryville – and she knows a thing or two about clothes.
Kant said leisure wear is selling well these days. Although the popularity of formal wear continues, she feels society has relaxed a bit since the pandemic.
“ We sell a comfort denim that you can literally do yoga in,” she said.“ That does really, really well. I mean, super well.”
Kant started her boutique 18 years ago. That means she’ s seen some things happen in the industry and the economy. Her specialty, she says, is making people feel thinner. She’ s got a knack for sizing up body types and knowing what looks great on a customer.
The goal, she said, is to try to make customers“ feel good about themselves always.”
“ When somebody comes in, I always ask them,‘ Are you on a mission today?’” she said. That simple question helps narrow down what clothes will best suit the customer’ s needs. A top that might shine at an outdoor wedding might not be the right fit for a trip to Rome. Kant can help with both. She likes to travel. Kant said she likes to show customers what a particular item – like a coat – will look like around their shoulders, helping them visualize the intended effect. She chooses carefully. And she’ s honest if an item isn’ t flattering to a customer. In her opinion, shoppers represent the boutique.
In a business based on clothes, great outfits are walking advertisements.
“ My point is if they look bad walking out of the store, they represent the store,” Kant said.“ They have to look good leaving.”
If you’ re looking for a great fit for the winter, Kant recommends looking for a good jacket and scarf. Although no outfit magically looks great on everyone, she said the jacket-scarf combo offers plenty of versatility and adaptability – something that might just do the trick this season.
Standing out
Just across from the Maryville Fire Department, mannequins with chic outfits brave the elements outside Boutique on Broadway. The business opened in 2015, according to manager Karlee Calvert, in a building that puts the boutique down a hallway with golden wood floors.
PHOTOS BY MATHAUS SCHWARZEN | BCQ Rustic Impulse is a salon and boutique on Broadway Avenue in downtown Maryville, promising style in multiple forms.
18 | BLOUNT COUNTY QUARTERLY • WINTER 2025-26