It can be hard to find everything you need in one shop — a look for that holiday party, a onesie for your sister’s baby, a gift for your best friend. Arlington’s Lemoncello Boutique solves that problem.
“We try to do a little bit of everything and cover a lot of bases in a small amount of square footage,” says buyer and manager Nicole Kahle, whose father, Gerry Salemme, purchased the shop — formerly known as Lemon Twist — in 2016 from then-owner Sally Prince. (His wife, Terri, had worked at Prince’s shop.) Kahle was involved from the start, trading her 9-to-5 gig at Stifel Financial Corp. for the flexibility and fun of teaming up with her family.
Today, Kahle’s friend from kindergarten, Maria Cochrane, works alongside her as a buyer and merchandiser. Kahle’s teenage brothers, Michael and Matthew, help unpack products and organize extra stock.
Womenswear makes up about 60 percent of the selection, with labels such as Trina Turk — whose versatile dresses can go from day to night — and Barefoot Dreams, which offers soft, buttery, and warm sweaters and cardigans. A brand called Wooden Ships has been a hit this season, with knit sweaters bearing phrases like “Thankful” and “Champagne Please.”
Shoppers can also find a smaller and well-curated collection of apparel for kiddos (newborn to 6 years) that includes playclothes and footies. Kahle calls out Magnetic Me as a cool line. “There are magnetic closures [on the clothing] so you’re not fumbling with buttons or zippers.”
These offerings and more are why the space has become a one-stop shop for women between the ages of 40 and 60, says Kahle. “We definitely have women shopping for their grandchildren, then buying themselves a sweater. Or lots of women who are looking for birthday presents for a girlfriend.”
Gifting options have continued to expand at Lemoncello since 2020, says Kahle, when folks were shopping less for attire and more for thoughtful items for others, particularly during the pandemic.
“A lot of people still wanted to shop, but were buying different things,” says Kahle. “We’ve found this demand for people who were on their way somewhere and looking for something [nice] to pick up for gifts.”
Lemoncello recently became a Scout Destination Store, which means it carries the majority of the brand’s functional and playfully patterned bags year-round. (Lemoncello is one of 14 retailers in the country with this designation.) For gifts, there are whimsical Camp Craft Cocktails (a line of drink mixes in Mason jars), affordable but chic earrings from Ink + Alloy, new frames from Addison Ross, and locally made cutting boards by Crazy Raven Woodworking. Owner and veteran Mark Rosenberg inscribes them with place names, like Virginia and Arlington. There are also socks and trinkets for men.
For the holidays, says Kahle, you’ll find MacKenzie-Childs décor (think table runners and candles) and a variety of ornaments. Even better? Calligrapher Patricia Heffner of Oh Eleven Studio will be on hand December 10 and 11 to customize ornaments for shoppers. And Arlington jeweler Debra Fabian will set up the weekend before Christmas for a trunk show featuring her easy-to-layer bracelets and necklaces, statement earrings with semiprecious stones, and other baubles.
It’s all part of Lemoncello’s approach to retail, says Kahle: “We try to be a nice, family-run local store that services our community.” 4518 Lee Hwy., Arlington
What’s in Store
1. Crazy Raven handmade cheese boards, $78
2. Sail to Sable, red plaid tunic dress, $198
3. Ink + Alloy, Peacock Pink Coral fringe bead earrings, $33
4. SCOUT products, $18–$25
5. Hatley, Happy Penguin baby sweater, $36
This story originally ran in our December issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.