Seven years after founding the Edie Parker brand, Brett Heyman has found a home for her line of acrylic bags (and more) with her first freestanding store.

The newly-opened Edie Parker boutique sits in a perfect spot on Madison Avenue with neighbors like Givenchy, De Beers, Fred Leighton, and Oscar de la Renta. Its location, between her Upper East Side home and her 60^th Street headquarters, was an organic decision. She came across the space on her daily walk to work. Heyman “took advantage of the slowed retail scene and empty spaces along Madison Avenue.” Being able to sign a shorter lease sweetened the deal.

The brand’s expanding product categories provided the impetus for a flagship. Despite “amazing and supportive” retail partners, she wanted to create an Edie Parker universe beyond wholesale. Case in point, two crocodile-covered clutches that proved cost-prohibitive for wholesale. After placing them in her store, they sold out in a month. Other store one-offs include an all-leather version of her wicker Jane basket bag and themed linen cocktail napkins that complement the home line-up. “We needed a lab,” she said, “A place where we could test things and customers would say ‘I wasn’t expecting to buy this from you.’”

Making the DNA visible to the public is a key step in a brand’s growth. The design of her 1000-foot square shop demonstrates her brand identity. She teamed up with Studio Muretto after an introduction by good friend Wes Gordon. The design incorporates Edie Parker’s proclivity for color in a sophisticated way. Hand-soaked and dyed wood panels from Germany in an array of ombré color combinations line the walls in a way that mimics her clutch shape. Custom-made glass, brass and acrylic cases are perfect for the CFDA Member’s upcoming jewelry launch, and sleek mid-century chairs and a pair of vintage Plexiglas mirrors perfectly play into the playful-yet-chic aesthetic.

Heyman’s biggest learning curve thus far was the idea of going “omni” – as in adding store staff, linking up e-commerce systems to the store for seamless online transactions, and just sorting out shipping logistics. Her advice to others looking to consider making the leap to retail:  “It is really important is to go with who you are as a brand.”

In her case, “the window jumps out and people are discovering Edie Parker for the first time out of curiosity. We have just scratched the surface of what we can do in accessories and home.”