Farewell Noda

We are closing the BLVD at NODA on Tuesday, April 26th. We have enjoyed 5 wonderful and successful years in Noda. Why leave?

There are many reasons but its the cumulative effect that led us to this very difficult decision. Over the last 9 months we saw the bulk of the galleries close, with that the change or shift in crawl traffic. We are at the end of our 5 year lease which brought along much elevated rents. Put those two factors together with a different environment, we felt that retail was not the best business to find success in Noda. So that is why we are leaving.

We are not sure if we are going anywhere else. What we had in Noda was perfect. Great neighborhood with pedestrian traffic, great 'small town' feel, tourist traffic, summertime crowds, and culture that was ripe and amazing. Not sure where we will ever experience this again. We have our eyes open, but so far nothing has sparked our interest.

So, keep in touch with our website www.blvdnoda.com, facebook and twitter. We will be active, especially if something new and wonderful happens.

We loved being part of Noda and will miss it dearly, but at the same time, thrilled that Noda continues to grow in popularity and thrive.

Out of the 'Norm'

I feel like I know and have seen a lot of women who are currently pregnant and expecting this summer. I guess love was in the air this past winter!

I know whenever I go to a baby shower, I never want to be in the 'ordinary' category when getting a gift. Of course I always want to be the one who gets the 'mommy to be' the gift that's trendy, echo friendly and unique. That way you can never go wrong.

The Boulevard once again can solve this dilemma of being ordinary!


There are so many neat things for babies here. Let me show you a few things that I love and that you just couldn't find at a department store.
This ECO Monster onesie is adorable! Not to mention the little felt monster toy that matches... It is sold as a set and it comes in a variety of colors.. not to mention the felt is made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles. Pretty cool!



These Short sleeve/shorts onesies are another one of my favorites. Perfect to get for a summer born baby! I love, love, love the frills and the pockets. Kind of reminds me of a trendy baby romper!






Okay, you cant forget the Mommy! I never want to go to a baby shower without getting the mommy to be a little something special.
These bath salts from Beautorium are perfect for a nice soak in the tub for her to relax. (I think she deserves it!) Not to mention it has all organic ingredients which is ideal for a pregnant woman.

All of these I have mentioned are sure to please any expecting mommy and are a promise to be out of the ordinary. Come check it out, we have so much more to offer!

Happy summer! xoxoxo- shopgirl

Tie Dye is Back

We have a new vendor, Designs by Agi. I say new in that she has only been with the Boulevard at Noda for 2 or 3 months. Her work is half tie dye and half kids clothing with hand crocheted appliqués. Well...her tie dye work is amazing and folks are buying her pieces with zest.

To tell you that tie dyed clothing is cool just might sound a little too weird. Well, I am here to tell you her quality of the dying and the quality of the original garment is why this works. The colors are vivid, the styles are modern and feminine...so its a great new way to bring tie dye back!

Hey Charlotte...Noda ROCKS!

The Boulevard is a hidden gem. I am of course, very biased since I work here. But I hear from just about everyone who walks in that they LOVE our shop...even guys tell us that! So why is it that so many Charlotteans stay away? Is Noda a scary place or are we just too far from the beaten path to take the drive?

Just about every business here in Noda has been featured in the news, front page in various newspapers, magazine articles including all the major travel magazines, awards and the list goes on. With so many businesses in Noda making the news...we still remain 'unvisited' by much of Charlotte.

The visitors bureau told me that Noda was the most requested area of town. So we definitely have a good thing going. So, if you have not visited Noda yet and you live in Charlotte. Make it a priority.

Love this weather! I am still planning all my spring fashions and this week is all about the HAT. Spring hats are fun and feminine and make every outfit 10 times better. The only problem is what is my hat limit? I love my spring palate of natural fibers, bright colors and feminine cuts. So I have selected my top 3 hats for me personally. You will have to come in for your own three.

The first hat is my pretty yet natural girl hat that will be my 'date with hubby' hat. So when we dine al fresco...I am too cute for my sweetie.

The second hat is my 'hanging with the girls' hat. Flirty, fun and a punch of attitude for our hours of giggling and goofing off.

The third hat...this first one will be my Spring statement piece. You will see me at Derby Days in this beauty. I will of course adorn it with flowers, scarves and ribbon to ensure my 'hat win' at Derby Days.

Keeping it Local

I have been more of a cocktails sort of gal but developing a taste for wine as I aged. Now as I enter my third childhood (aka...old age for the young at heart) I am developing a fondness for the boutique beers. But who doesn't' like a beer that you can toss a fruit wedge in??? Tasty and healthy, right?

Found out that in the past couple years a small brewery started our own backyard....Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (OMB). This local brewery produces German style ales and lagers in their 15,000 square foot facility on Southside Drive in S. Charlotte. They are open to the public for beer tastings, but the Boulevard at Noda is going to bring the beer to 36th & N. Davidson. So, this gallery crawl...BLVD at NODA will have its own Biergarten set up for this joyous occasion. Must be 21 to enter and exhibit courteous and gracious behavior so that all enjoy this experience.

Details on our website www.blvdnoda.com

Punxsutawney Phil - you sly devil

Despite the temperatures outside...the Boulevard at Noda is going to get ready for Spring! We put our IT jeans on sale at 30% off and our winter fashions at 70% off because we need to make room for all our spring fashions. We have new dresses, shorts, skirts and tunics coming next month. This works out great since Mr. Punxs said six more weeks of winter and its week three.

I am ready to put away my winter scarves, hats and jackets. I want to see the 'Derby Days' hats come out. I want to look for my next favorite pair of open toe shoes. Not to mention, my legs need to see a little sunlight...not much, just enough so people realize I get my full value of Vitamin D.

So, if you are ready for Spring too....tell that sly devil, the groundhog, that we are going to move on. Because the day we see Spring emerge...I am going to be out dining al fresco and doing it with style!