By Adina Keeling
Minouchic Boutique is packed with racks of vibrant clothing, glass cases of jewelry, tiered accessory tables, and Haitian paintings propped up on wall shelves.
Located at 1900 Asbury Ave., Suite B, the shop specializes in African clothing and sells new and used items.
Minouchic Boutique, which opened in 2013, is owned by two sisters. Mary Toussaint manages the shop full-time, and Marie Lynn Toussaint, who works as an attorney, assists her sister when she can. The name Minouchic Boutique is a twist on Mary’s nickname, Minouche.
In addition to African clothing, the boutique offers sweaters, evening dresses, blazers, suit pants, blouses, casual wear, and clothing for any occasion. The jewelry displays feature bold statement necklaces, delicate rings, big hoop earrings, and jeweled studs. On tables and shelves, the boutique advertises an assortment of gloves, hats, purses, scarves, shoes, and masks, in addition to original art.
“It’s not just a resale store,” says Marie Lynn. “There’s much more than that.”
For Mary, who spent most of her life working in retail, owning her own shop is a dream come true. She always loved fashion and received a degree in Fashion Design from Ray-Vogue College of Design and also attended Harrington College of Design.
“Since I was 13, I have worked for basically every single retail store that you can imagine,” says Mary. “I knew after a while that I needed to have my own.” continue reading