For events big or small, local boutique So Chic has gifts for them all. From party-planning supplies to gifts and relics, the business has been serving Peoria since March of 2017 and Morton since 2013.
After six years of event planning, owner and Bradley professor of consumer science Sara O’Shea said she decided to open the stores as a way to expand her event planning service.
“It was a natural transition. I was planning these great parties for clients, but we weren’t buying our supplies locally. Nobody carried the unique party supplies, so we were buying them all online,” said O’Shea. “I wanted to create a local outlet that gave the power to shop local and gave me an opportunity to connect and serve more people.”
The shop is full-service, offering custom event planning, custom invitations, a rentable party room and a shop willed with bright and colorful party supplies.
“We try to make it pretty easy to mix and match things and for everything to have a unique feel, so each [party] can have its own personality,” said O’Shea.
Sophomore public relations and marketing double major Natalie Konopka frequents the boutique whenever she can and described the atmosphere as unique and inviting.
“So Chic is full of life and instantly brings you to a ‘what you wish your life could look like’ kind of place,’” Konopka said. “Everything is so neat and cute; it makes you want one of everything.”
According to their website, So Chic carries a little something for everyone who walks in the door.
Freshman public relations major Ellie Weber said there are a lot of gifts and knick-knacks that she and other students would enjoy.
“They have stress-relief activities [like] coloring books and learning calligraphy,” Weber said. “There’s a lot of stuff to look at, so you can spend a lot of time there. It’s bright and covered in cute sayings in pretty fonts, and it’s like you stepped into what Pinterest would look like if it was a store.”
O’Shea said she feels the new location has been well received by the community and described her goals to increase its online presence in the future.
“Everything available in our store is available online, and that’s a big source of what we’re focusing on right now,” said O’Shea. “I love our local stores, but we’re going to hit a max capacity with what we can do there.”
O’Shea also described her goals to expand services offered, like offering specialized classes at both locations. To hear about these upcoming events, she urges people to follow So Chic on Facebook and Instagram.
“We offer about 20 calligraphy classes per year and are hoping to offer more similar workshops this summer,” O’Shea said.
So Chic is located at 4605 N. Prospect Rd. in the Peoria Heights. Store hours at both the Morton location and in the Heights are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
