GREENVILLE — Driven by a desire to change the future of retail together, spouses Bob and Jennifer Houde opened Maison Avenir, a European-inspired store in the Upstate, on Aug. 12.
Maison Avenir, which is French and loosely translates to “house of the future,” carries clothing, accessories, home decor and even a curated art collection from Europe and across the globe.
The third-floor showroom itself “has a very Parisian apartment vibe,” Jennifer said, with ornate molding and contrasting aesthetics between its men’s and women’s clothing sections, the former offering a moody, library-like feel and the latter conveying airiness.
Some of the words Bob and Jennifer use to describe the style of their products are elevated, timeless and approachable. Why approachable? “Because I think there’s a stigma with boutiques where people almost feel like they need to be prepared to come in, or they might be nervous about coming in. And our job, our goal is to completely break that wall,” Bob said.
Jennifer, who was the buyer for a women’s clothing boutique for 20 years, said she finds that many boutiques are missing the aspect of customer service.
“A lot of people could tell you something looks cute, but that’s not helpful,” she said. “So we’re here to kind of help you build a wardrobe. We’re pretty honest, and we can tell you why something works or doesn’t work for you and can pull items that suit your lifestyle and personality.”
For Jennifer, building a wardrobe includes helping customers find a couple key pieces on their first visit, then building upon their collection each time they return to Maison Avenir. This level of service is always available, but customers are welcome to browse as well.
Maison Avenir’s men’s clothing side, Homme, offers “more European-style tailoring,” Bob said. “We are committed to the Greenville market for men’s clothing, but we’re still testing it because, contemporary men’s clothing in Greenville, we are the first one to do it.”
The couple described their men’s clothing as flattering and wearable.
“It’s just an opportunity for men to come in and try on a brand, maybe they’ve never heard of, that I can help fit to their body type that would be more flattering,” Bob said.
And while they are still learning the Upstate market for contemporary men’s clothing, Bob and Jennifer’s understanding of the clientele and lifestyle of Greenville as longtime residents meant there was no other place they wanted to open their store.
“We have plans on expanding in the future but, you know, you start at home first and build and then expand outwards,” Jennifer said. “So there really was no other option other than opening in Greenville initially.”
To learn more about Maison Avenir, visit its website or stop by in person at 17 E. Stone Ave., Suite 3, Greenville.