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Kim Davis has come a long way since her days of fashioning college T-shirts into game-day dresses for her classmates at Texas A&M University. What hasn’t changed, though, is her motivation. The owner of Flower Wild, a clothing and lifestyle boutique with locations on Pearl Street in Boulder and in Longmont’s Prospect New Town, Davis says that her goal is to “help women feel beautiful in the bodies they’re in now.”
It’s the one constant in her winding fashion trajectory, in fact. Davis worked at a Fossil store when she was in high school and college (both in Texas) before juggling a number of related jobs in her 20s: She made and sold clothing and other accessories on Etsy, ran a lifestyle blog, and finally landed at Anthropologie in Boulder as a personal stylist. It was there, in the 29th Street Mall, where Davis realized that she had a knack for helping women find the right fits and threads within their budgets to help them feel, well, like a million bucks.
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In 2018, Davis launched Flower Wild (then called Oh Sweet Joy) as a mobile clothing boutique specializing in eclectic and bohemian styles. But the challenge of constantly packing up and moving her inventory in a vehicle without air-conditioning started to take its toll. By 2019, the mother of two felt ready to quit.
“I was so wiped from that season,” Davis says, “trying to make it to soccer games, but also have pop-up events.” She told her husband that she was ready to permanently park the fashion truck. Davis’ husband, however—who jokingly refers to himself as Flower Wild’s head of candle acquisitions—encouraged her to stick it out. “I’m so grateful to him for not letting me quit when I was discouraged,” Davis says.
Sure enough, the fashion truck helped Davis build brand awareness in the region, and the e-commerce side of her business (online shoppers can purchase all Flower Wild’s wares through the store’s website) thrived during the pandemic. She sold the truck and opened her first brick-and-mortar shop in Longmont in 2020. Less than a year later, Davis debuted a second location on Pearl Street in Boulder.
The Pearl Street store is thoughtfully staged, with desert-inspired accents and original artwork depicting the nearby Flatirons by local painter Richelle Cripe hanging on the walls. (Customers can buy prints in the store.) Alongside a selection of handmade jewelry and home accents from independent, women-owned, American businesses and local artists, Davis has curated a collection of maxi dresses with frills and ruffles in an array of earth tones, colorful cardigans, fun T-shirts, and breezy one-pieces and jumpsuits.
As part of the Flower Wild philosophy, Davis loves to show customers how to style pieces in a number of different ways. “If I buy a $48 blouse, I want to wear it 48 times,” she says. “If it’s not going to be rotated that heavily, I don’t want it in my closet.” She also enlists employees to style outfits for Flower Wild’s social channels. “We’re a very diverse staff,” Davis says, “and I think that helps all of our customers envision the clothes on someone like them.”
Find Flower Wild in Boulder at 901 Pearl Street, Suite 101, and in Longmont at 1125 Neon Forest Circle, Unit 120.
Meet the Neighbors
Davis’ Pearl Street location in Boulder also benefits from what’s outside its walls: “Nearly all of our block is other women-owned boutiques and stores,” she says. “Knowing I’m not alone is a good place to be.” Here, a few of the women-owned businesses in Boulder that Davis loves to frequent.
Mabel and Moss
Next door to Flower Wild is Mabel and Moss, a carefully curated shop offering women’s clothing, handmade jewelry, and artisanal self-care and beauty products. Michelle Pellerin’s spot is the perfect place to pick up high-quality pieces that feel good, like this luxurious, oversize sweatshirt. “I just think she has such a unique eye,” Davis says about Pellerin. She adds that it’s also helpful to have another shop owner nearby who understands the unique challenges of staging a retail space. 935 Pearl St., Boulder
Haven
Just a couple doors down from Flower Wild, find Haven, a high-end boutique that opened in 2016. Owned by Michelle DeHaven and her daughter Allie Marchese, the shop carries tastefully rebellious women’s clothing, like this iridescent, cropped motorcycle jacket. “Our goal is to bring unique and beautiful pieces to the women of the incredible Boulder community while supporting indie and female designers,” Marchese says. “We want women to build their own personal style, invest in timeless pieces, and feel empowered by their wardrobe.” 943 Pearl St., Boulder
Sweep Salons
This serene spot on Pearl Street’s West End offers gratuity-free hourly rates for haircut and color services, as well as complimentary lattes and teas to help clients feel cared for. Sweep also offers silent services, for those who would rather relax than make small talk. “I love seeing what [Sweep Salons owner] Kate Manz is up to,” Davis says. “It’s cool to see people lean in to what they’re good at and create an environment that is meaningful and memorable. I just love being able to be on the outside looking in, watching these women crush it.” 840 Pearl St., Ste. 2, Boulder
Alchemy Face Bar
Owner Bre Morris takes a holistic wellness approach with Alchemy Face Bar, offering services such as the Gua Sha facial massage, which uses rose quartz crystal rollers and gemstones as natural healing elements. “It’s about creating a strong sense of community, empowering women, and being an educational outlet for spiritual wellness and holistic healing so that you are taking the very best care of yourself all around, inside and out,” Morris says. 2701 Canyon Blvd., Boulder
