Local Boutique Offers Stylish Clothes With a Personal Touch
Valerie Selman’s path to opening the Brick and Belle Boutique began with a simple passion for shopping. Selman and her daughter Blythe shopped together all the time because their husbands traveled a lot for work.
“Finally, we said, we should just start a business,” Selman says.
They got their wholesale license and spent their time buying wholesale clothes and selling them out of trunks at hair salons and friends’ garages. Once that picked up, they held clothing parties in their own garage. Soon they were doing so well, they decided to purchase a truck and open Brick and Belle Boutique, a Boutique on the Go, in 2015.
The name is a combination of her passions. The “brick” stands for the Brickyard, where Selman and her husband were married. Racing is a significant part of their lives. Belle means “Beautiful Woman,” which represents her two daughters.
Selman took the Brick and Belle truck around the Midwest to markets, such as the Hob Knob Market in Illinois and clothing markets at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds.
Selman was working full-time, doing logistics for a racing team, while pursuing clothing retail with Blythe on the side. However, over time, it made more sense to begin pouring more time and energy into her clothing venture.
“The truck was doing awesome,” Selman says. “The shows were doing awesome. So my husband encouraged me to find a traditional storefront.”
The brick and mortar Brick and Belle opened in November 2017 in the heart of Avon, on the south side of U.S. Highway 36 across from Hobby Lobby. Its parking lot is connected to Starbucks and Lin’s Alterations.
The boutique offers women’s clothing, as well as plus sizes, kids’ clothes, shoes, jewelry and accessories. The style of the clothes is casual and comfortable. Between her daughters and staff, all ranging in age from 20 to 50, she regularly gets help purchasing her wholesale clothes and choosing what to showcase in the shop.
“They all get to pick their favorites from the website,” Selman says. “We discuss our favorites or even do polls on social media and let people pick what we’ll buy that week. So we really have a wide range to appease all ages.”
Selman has loved having her own store, minus the usual stresses of owning a small business. She especially enjoys the connections she makes in the community.
“I love doing this, but my favorite thing is my customers,” Selman adds. “I’ve met some wonderful people. The community has been so nice and welcoming.”
Kristy Allen, a local resident, considers herself a regular and loves to visit Selman’s shop. She always finds pieces that are comfortable, stylish and affordable at the same time.
“Everything is so reasonably priced,” Allen says. She also considers Selman a friend and enjoys visiting with her when she shops.
“Val and her staff are so sweet,” Allen adds. “She’s always willing to go out of her way for you. She has such a fun, bubbly personality and that reflects in her store. She really is the best.”
Boutiques have been popping up more often in recent years in Hendricks County, and Selman has no desire to make enemies. She feels every boutique has its own unique flavor and flare, but the one thing that makes her different, she says, is herself.
“I make this place different,” she says. “I love to make my customers feel at home. Some of them really have been my best friends. Some will just come in and chat with me for two hours. Maybe I should just start serving wine here.”
As far as the future, Selman would love to open up another Brick and Belle but isn’t in a hurry to grow and has no timeline. She is at the store most of the time, but she also loves working the truck. She will do pop-up shops now and then if large events or venues request her.
The best way to stay up to date is on Brick and Belle’s Facebook and Instagram pages. But Selman says the best way to experience her store is in person.
“Just come in,” Selman says with a smile. “Just come in and be happy. Come in and be my friend.”
Brick and Belle is located at 9739 E US HWY 36 in Avon. You can visit them online at brickandbelle.bigcartel.com for more information.
