For entrepreneur Alicia Abbington, achieving her goal of owning a boutique and being a mother to her 5-year-old son, JJ, go hand in hand. “As a mom, you push everything [you want] to the side because your child is No. 1,” says the Triangle resident. “So I decided to incorporate my son into my dream.” Once she’d established her approach, figuring out what to sell was easy: stylish apparel for boys like JJ. “The older JJ got, the harder it was to find cool clothing for him,” she says. “Girls have everything.”
Her new Garçon Mélaniné & Co. concept solves that problem. The shop (whose name translates to “Melanin Boy”) was born in November 2020 as an online retailer but turned into a pop-up boutique at Tysons Corner Center after Abbington and two other small businesses won its DreamStart competition. The program was designed to help burgeoning companies grow, with perks including reduced rent and a grand-opening event this past August—and the response was overwhelming.
“Not a lot of kids like shopping, but honestly … we see kids drag their parents in,” says Abbington, an Art Institute grad who also serves as assistant store manager at Intermix in Georgetown. Perhaps that’s because Garçon Mélaniné’s 1,000-square-foot space is playfully designed with youngsters in mind. A kid’s corner has a chalkboard wall and tic-tac-toe. There are beanbag chairs placed just so for plopping into, and Goldfish crackers are thoughtfully provided for snacking.
The products, meanwhile, are separated by color stories and are equally attractive to little fellas (ages 1 to 10) and to their parents. They are functional and affordable, to keep up with all the wear and tear that comes along with childhood, and the hip, personality-filled designs make it easy to stylishly stand out on the playground. A popular find? The camo windbreakers, says Abbington. They come in three main colors—red, blue, and yellow—and have earned a fan base that includes her son. Other items include Love Bubby tees with empowering statements like “Speaker of the House,” fall pieces by Andy & Evan, tops, bottoms, jackets, and accessories (think mirrored silver sunnies).
Abbington also has partnered with Washington state–based On Point Pins to create the Dream Collection. The pieces are each emblazoned with a patch depicting fists in different colors; proceeds from each patch are donated to a Black-owned business. “It’s important to teach our kids unity and that we’re better together,” says Abbington.
And, yes, JJ helps his mom curate the clothing. “He takes after me—he loves fashion,” says Abbington. “He has a hand in whatever I have in the store.”
Moving forward, Abbington is increasing the selection for 9- and 10-year-olds; initially, she hadn’t planned to stock as many goods in that range because the products weren’t selling online. But in-store feedback from parents changed her mind—at those ages, boys grow so quickly that parents prefer to have them try on the products first. Abbington plans to introduce a monthly networking event for moms and their kids, and fashion shows to preview the latest finds are also in the works. Expansion is on her mind, too; she hopes to eventually open Garçon Mélaniné shops in various cities and states. For now, though, she’s concentrating on her local boutique. “When a kid can walk into a store and say, ‘I love this; I want this,’ and beg to come back,” she says, “I know I’m doing the right thing.” 1961 Chain Bridge Rd., Tysons Corner
What’s in Store
1. Love Bubby tee, $28
2. Out of this World sweatshirt, $24
3. Rocket sweatpants, $28
4. Smiley socks, $5
5. Dream Collection pullover (multiple colors available), $35
6. Garçon Mélaniné & Co. beanies, $12
Feature image by Christin Boggs Peyper
This story originally ran in our November issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
