After 15 years of serving fashionable shoppers across the Midwest, Primp Boutique is closing its doors permanently. Founder Wesley Uthus announced on social media that the women’s clothing chain will shut down its four remaining stores on Dec. 23, marking the end of an era for the beloved retailer that once boasted nine locations.
The announcement comes as a disappointment to loyal customers who have relied on Primp Boutique for trendy, curated fashion selections since the company’s inception in 2010. What began as a single storefront on St. Paul’s charming Selby Avenue has now reached its final chapter, with locations in 1) St. Paul, 2) Excelsior, 3) White Bear Lake and 4) Sioux Falls, South Dakota, all preparing to close before the holidays.
A slow decline over several years
The boutique chain’s contraction didn’t happen overnight. Primp Boutique has been steadily downsizing since 2018, reducing its footprint as the retail landscape shifted dramatically. The company recently shuttered its Southwest Minneapolis location, leaving only the four stores that will now close this month.
The decision reflects broader challenges facing brick-and-mortar retail, particularly specialty boutiques that must compete with online shopping and changing consumer habits. For Primp Boutique, these pressures proved insurmountable despite the company’s efforts to adapt and maintain its presence in the community.
Pandemic accelerated the shift
Uthus previously spoke with Twin Cities Business in 2021 about the difficulties her company faced during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The health crisis fundamentally altered shopping patterns, pushing more of Primp Boutique’s sales to online channels while physical stores struggled to recover their pre-pandemic customer traffic…