For the past decade, Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights has thrived as a hotspot for restaurants and bars, but now indie clothing stores are joining the mix. The latest arrival is Reimagined BK, a boutique offering Brooklynites a curated selection of vintage Dior gowns, Valentino shoes and other chic styles.
Owned by husband-wife duo Jeff and Theresa Redd, the boutique, at 708 Franklin Ave., sells both new and vintage clothing with a bohemian vibe.
After a recent spring cleaning, Theresa, a marketing and public relations executive, and Jeff, a Grammy Award-winning music producer, realized they had a surplus of barely worn clothing they could donate or resell. This sparked an idea: they wanted to create a space not only to share their clothing but also to build a community.
“We love to say, we're not in the fashion business, we're in the customer service business,” said Theresa. “We understand what people are looking for. We believe that the store is not just a place to come and buy clothing, it's a place where it's an extension of our personal brands, our personal beliefs and our outlook on life.
The store is called Reimagined BK because the couple are "reimagining our lives together," she added.
They describe their style as boho-chic, focusing on gowns, suits and other special- occasion outfits. The shop also has a seamstress so shoppers can customize their outfits.
The fashion options are sourced from both consignment partners and other vintage sellers. The Redds are particular about where their clothing originates from and don’t consider themselves a drop-off center like other consignment shops, Theresa explained. Instead, they focus on offering quality items that consumers would want to have in their closets for a long time.
Beyond clothes, the boutique offers shoes, accessories and home goods.
What’s unique about the boutique is the couple's commitment to the community. Reimagined BK hosts music nights, book signings and other community events in their space. Recently, the couple hosted two performances by cellists Sarah Overton and Brittany Harris.
The Redds are no strangers to the neighborhood. Theresa moved to Brooklyn from Kingston, Jamaica when she was one. As a child, she said she often passed by the building that now houses the boutique.
She recalled the old Franklin Avenue, that sometimes had more vacant stores than not, and said she appreciates being among great company on the revived strip.
"It feels like a big family on Franklin Avenue, and all the business owners, as diverse as they are, have been just excited,” Theresa told BK Reader. “Franklin [Avenue] is coming alive. Franklin is really bustling. We are in a great corridor."
