By Aren Lau
Emerging into the fresh atmosphere of the Middleton Clothing boutique, one can sense a difference between it and any old retail shop. There aren’t fifty of the same item hanging on a never-ending rack, followed by fifty more of something else. Instead, one is met with a few potently stylish repeats of each thing and carefully arranged pieces designed to please the eye; because – excusing the highly appropriate cliché – Middleton focuses on quality, not quantity. The air is fragrant, the area bright and welcoming. More than that, shop associates are attentive, active participants in the browsing process.
Treatment like this isn’t present in the average retail space, and it’s because Middleton Clothing is a boutique; more than that, though, it is a boutique which extensively prides itself in that fact, and strives to perfect the boutique experience for the customer’s benefit.
Of course, there are people behind the effort put into Middleton’s success as a boutique. The shop’s new co-owner, Erin Brennan, hand-picks every item coming into the store for both the online and brick-and-mortar storefronts. This is one other aspect of a boutique — that whoever owns the shop chooses exactly what it sells, and therefore caters it exactly to a specific atmosphere and style.
Before owning Middleton, Erin had just launched her own personal styling business called Pants Style Consulting and was focusing her energy there before learning about the opportunity to become an owner of Middleton from her friend and colleague, Elissa Kestner, the owner of Monelle, a boutique in Shelburne, VT. The two knew each other from working on the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, VT. Originally, Erin expressed to Elissa and her business partner, Lisa Phelps (the owner of Parlour Salon on Main Street in Middlebury), that she was not interested in buying the shop, but after Elissa took Erin to Middlebury to see the store in person in the summer of 2024, she fell in love.
“The space is so beautiful,” said Erin, “and it's in a prime location. It had been years since I'd visited Middlebury and had forgotten how cute and quaint the downtown was. I spent a few hours working the sales floor, remerchandising, and marking down out of season styles. I even helped a few customers and made a few sales.
“When I left that day, deep down I knew that I was interested in the business. I just needed to say ‘no’ a few more times before I was ready to admit that boutique ownership was my next step.”
The idea to open a women’s boutique in Middlebury originated from Elissa and Lisa’s partnership selling accessories out of Parlour. Thus, they founded Middleton together in September of 2022. Now, under new direction, the shop’s style has evolved. Erin attested, “As the main buyer, I aim to curate a collection of clothing and accessories from brands that focus on quality over quantity, while still offering an approachable style.” And because the pieces on the floor are always chosen by the person in charge, Middleton’s exact stylistic branding is still in evolution, just as all of our own closets are. From the outside, though, the establishment’s fashion is defined by mostly light, airy textures, a variety of colors which all invoke a sense of life and wonder, and classiness which is displayed in every piece of jewelry and stitch of fabric.
“The brand colors, navy and white, will remain as an ode to our sister store, Monelle, with the same brand colors. The gold accents signify our commitment to high quality goods,” said Erin. And that is a commitment they keep.
Lastly, as items change often, there’s always something new on the racks; so if you somehow didn’t find anything last time, you’re sure to fall for something new during your next visit. Come again (as most do). Additionally, at Middleton, sales are always prevalent and prominent. Chances are, one of those skirts you were ogling at a few weeks ago might have shifted over there, sometimes for up to 75% off – just for you.
Middleton has transformed over the years into what it exists as today: a women’s boutique that is quaint yet classy — a combination not ubiquitously seen — and catered to a wide variety of the feminine. Nestled into the heart of Middlebury, it provides a space of connection not just between the customer and the clothing but also with the people behind the business. That is what makes this boutique unique.
Love,
Middleton
__ __ __
Aren Lau is a writer passionate about people, fashion, society, and the mesh between the three. She is a Middlebury College student majoring in anthropology and works retail at Middleton Clothing.