SLO boutique to close its doors as owner retires. ‘It’s been lovely being downtown’
Maison Marianne, an upscale women’s clothing boutique in downtown San Luis Obispo, is closing at the end of the month.
Owner Marianne Seaborne said she plans to retire and close the shop, located at 970 Chorro St., on Jan. 31, after five years in its historic adobe building downtown.
“I’m retiring,” she told The Tribune. “Joining my husband in retirement — we’re going to travel to faraway places.”
Seaborne said she attempted to find a buyer for the business, but ultimately there were no serious candidates.
“I really tried to pass on the baton,” she said. “I tried to find someone to help me out. A few people came forward, but they weren’t serious.”
“I was very honest about how hard it is,” she added.
Seaborne herself bought the retail business in 2019 when its previous owner, Lynda Flynn, retired. At that time the shop was called Willow Nest.
Seaborne said she had been a longtime customer of the shop and was drawn to it because it filled a much-needed niche in downtown SLO.
“As you might know, there’s a lot for (younger adults) and college kids, but there’s not really any designer clothing and high-quality stuff,” she said. ”My things are mainly not synthetic. It’s not fast fashion here.”
Seaborne said she sources her stock from designers “all around the world,” including France, Italy, Peru and Japan.
That’s been one of her favorite parts of running Maison Marianne, she added, along with her customers.
“I’ve had a wonderful group of customers who are very loyal, and I’ve done really well despite COVID and all that,” she said. “I’ve done well, but it’s just too much work for one person. It’s just me.”
Seaborne said she was unsure what might happen with the space moving forward now that her lease is up, but she assumes something else will come in to fill the vacancy in the historic adobe building.
“It’s been lovely being downtown,” she said. “It’s nice to be off Higuera on a quiet side street, and people can find me.”
Ahead of the closure, all items in the store were on a 60%-off clearance; Seaborne was also selling her clothing racks and fixtures.
As she enters retirement, Seaborne said she is looking forward to the next phase of her life — but she does still plan to be around town and in contact with her longtime customers.
“I plan to keep in touch,” she said. “I don’t want to say goodbye. I want to say, ‘See you later,’ or ‘See you in town.’”
Maison Marianne is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 970 Chorro St.
This story was originally published January 15, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
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