For forty years, the bright space on the second floor of 233 Harvard Street has housed The Studio boutique. This hasn’t just meant racks of curated, on-trend clothes and ornate display cases showing off dainty accessories. For co-owners Sandy Gradman, Marcie Brawer, and Ilene Epstein, the community was just as important as clothing. In an era of impersonal, online shopping trends, the three women created a safe, welcoming community of women. The new clothes were just a bonus.
After recently celebrating their 40th anniversary with a party at the Coolidge Corner Theater, the entrepreneurs decided it was time to move on to the next chapter. When The Studio was first launched, it was a makeshift boutique run out of Brawer’s art studio. Since then, the three women have taken over an entire floor of the Harvard Street building.
Their square footage and sales records are impressive, but the charitable impact of The Studio has been even more powerful over the years. They have fundraised for and contributed to countless charities, including Rosie’s Place and Dana Farber, among many others. Their contributions to female empowerment have also left a mark. For three female entrepreneurs to build a women-focused business from the ground up was no easy feat, and the 40-year tenure of The Studio illustrates the tenacity, courage, and creativity of Gradman, Brawer, and Epstein. For every institution, statistic, and individual that told them no, they shouted yes.
The news has stirred an outpouring of feeling from the Brookline community. One dedicated shopper wrote in an Instagram comment, “I have been shopping at The Studio for close to 40 years, through the single years and now as a senior. I can’t tell you how much I will miss you all, and want to thank you for dressing me for most of my adult life. Best of luck to all of you in the future.” Undoubtedly, the garments purchased at The Studio with the help of its three heroines will take on a new meaning for everyone who owns them.
But community members have one more chance to bond with their favorite style gurus and stock up on chic staples. The Studio will be having a celebratory closing sale beginning tomorrow, December 13, at 8 am. Stock will be marked down 50-70% (a massive coup for shoppers). Gift cards and store credit must be redeemed by January 2.
Though The Studio will be sorely missed, the fearless girl gang is going out on a celebratory note. In forty years they have changed not just many women’s wardrobes, but many women’s lives. When we chatted with The Studio earlier this year, they spoke with pride about their four decades serving the Brookline community. “For all intents and purposes, it is a family business,” said Brawer. “It’s been a glorious ride.”
