SHOP
WRITTEN BY KAREN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL CARROLL JR.
50 Shades of Flair GREY BOUTIQUE OPENS WITH FLYING COLORS
Lesa Dreifort loves the color grey. She can be
collars and squeaky toys in memory of Max, the
found driving a grey Range Rover with person-
Dreifort’s beloved Yorkie who recently passed.
alized tags reading “GREY,” and the hue also played a role in her decision to follow a long-
ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSPIRATION
held dream of owning her own business.
Since 2009 Dreifort has wanted to own her own business. At the time she wrote a business plan
Grey Boutique, opening Oct. 5 in a 1,765 square-
for a hair salon and spa, but she says God had
foot space located near 21st and Webb, will
a different road for her to take. Instead she
carry women’s fashion, accessories and home
ended up at GraceMed Health Clinic where,
decor, according to Dreifort. She’s stocked up
among other things, she founded the Say Grace
on everything in trending fall colors such as
Race, “the largest 5K in Wichita,” which raised
chic cranberries, delicate roses and military
$600,000 over the first nine years.
greens. And of course an entire bouquet of grey — a complete section devoted exclusively
The dream of owning her own business lin-
to heather, charcoal, asphalt, ash and sleet.
gered in the back of Dreifort’s mind. At times it felt like chasing rainbows, but in January of
FANCY FOOTWEAR
this year she left GraceMed and embarked on
While she’s catering to women from 18 to 70,
a soul-searching road trip to Colorado. It was
Dreifort’s daughters, ranging in age from 29 to
on Elkhorn Avenue. in Estes Park that she dis-
34, may have skewed the demographic.
covered The Grey House, a mountain boutique packed with unique items.
“My 30-year-old went to market with me this last time, and she basically did most of the
“When I walked out I decided that’s what I
shopping for me.” Dreifort laughs remembering
wanted to do: I wanted to open a boutique,”
the scene in the Dallas Market Center. “When I
Dreifort says. She interpreted her favorite color
went into it I thought I’d carry three or four dif-
appearing in the name as an auspicious sign.
ferent pairs of shoes. I’ve got like 25 pairs now thanks to her. I was like, ‘All right Amber, stop!’ ”
Dreifort came home to Wichita and told her family and friends the news. “I have three
Those 25 pairs include jelly bean shoes, animal
daughters and two granddaughters and one
prints, solids, slip-ons, Converse-style sneak-
on the way,” she explains, “along with seven
ers, long boots, knee-high boots, booties,
sisters and many nieces, and all my wonderful
and boots to wear with skirts. “I’ve got a lot of
girlfriends. And I thought a boutique would be
boots,” says Dreifort. “And skirts — skirts are in
perfect for all the great women that I have in
this year.”
my life, and my love for fashion.”
In Grey Boutique you’ll find fashion to go with
When it came to naming her new venture,
the footwear — everything from high-rise jeans
everyone agreed that it had to be none other
and raw-hem denim jackets to cardigans and
than “Grey Boutique.”
slouchy sweaters, plus the camis and bralettes
32
to wear under them — all in a spectrum of rich
Opening a new business in the age of Covid
fall colors. For accessories and home decor
gave Dreifort only a moment’s pause, even
the shop will offer backpacks, hats, scarves,
though it means taking extra precautions. “I’m
candles, PJs and much more. There will even be
53 years old and I felt like, if I’m going to do
a corner with “cute dog stuff” including bows,
this, this is it. It just felt like the right time.” SPLURGE! MAGAZINE // splurgemag.com
Grey Boutique Open House Monday, Oct 5, 12–6 p.m. 9746 E. 21st St. N. Wichita, KS 67206 316.670.6899 Regular hours: Monday–Friday, 10–7 Saturday, 10–6 Closed Sunday
