Review of Tatters Boutique

The small boutique sits in between various shops, but the pulse of this tucked-away gem makes it a definite stand out. The source of that pulse comes straight from the owner Michele Tesler herself. When I first met the petite woman, she seemed 9 feet tall, all smiles and more than ecstatic to share her love of what she does. It was refreshing and contagious.

The boutique that opened in November 2005 was born from the desire to bring Mercer Island something it really didn't know it needed. Tesler had been happily working in oncology as a nurse at the Fred Hutchinson Center, but had realized her own fashion style had become predictable. She got in contact with a friend that was a rep for a few designers. She started to send Tesler some samples. You could almost say this is where the real story began.

Tesler credits designer Aimee G for being the driving force behind opening her own boutique. "Once I started wearing Aimee's clothes, I was getting bombarded with questions," Tesler said with a smile. "Where did you get it? I love it! Where can I get it?" The next few things happened in a domino effect. Friends, family and coworkers were constantly hitting her up for the clothes on her back, so she tried her best to accommodate them. She went as far as tracking down the designer's clothes at various boutiques. But she didn't stop there. She began to have clothes sent to her house and people would come over in droves to purchase them. "This is when my family straight out told me to just open my own store," Tesler laughed.

She had no idea what all that would entail. "I was scared," Tesler said. But with determination, she set her sights on her goal and did everything to achieve it. When you walk into Tatters, you quickly realize the most important component of owning a boutique, which she has plenty of, is style.

Tesler has a hard time describing her boutique in a few words. She throws out adjectives like funky and artistic. "If you are looking for a blue regular blazer," Tesler said. "Well, this is not the store for you."

She has the only boutique in Washington carrying Aimee G, but she has also branched out to include other designers from various countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Israel and Japan. Tesler does understand the importance of bringing it all back home. She also carries local designers such as Ronna Weltman, Riversong and Alchemy Goods.

The sign above the register says "Step In, Style Out" and there's no doubt once you step into Tatters, the unique finds and helpful staff will not only have you stepping out in style, but anxious to come back again for more.

Tatters 7605 SE 27th St #105 Mercer Island, WA 98040 (206) 232-8055