Courtesy of Roxy Rabb.
Bezshan Dolatabadi took ownership of the former Betsy Prince boutique in Brookwood Village in September 2015. His new store, B. Prince, will open in Lane Parke this summer.
Construction workers and interior designers will be busy at work this month, putting the final details on the new B. Prince boutique in Lane Parke.
Formerly Betsy Prince, the new store will get back to the roots loved by its customers, said owner Bezshan Dolatabadi. In its new home, nestled in the heart of Mountain Brook, Dolatabadi said B. Prince will be able to stock its shelves with unique and unusual finds — offerings it had moved away from at its current location in Brookwood Village.
“We hope to open the store in July,” said Dolatabadi.
With construction of the outside structure now complete, the internal build-out is the only thing standing in the way.
“The move to Lane Parke is an opportunity to find new people who will appreciate what we do,” said Dolatabadi. “The excitement surrounding Lane Parke was something we wanted to be part of as well.”
That “newness,” said Dolatabadi, will meld nicely with the vision he has in mind. Late last year, Dolatabadi took ownership of the longtime Brookwood Village staple after working there for 34 years. When he started working at the original Betsy Prince boutique three decades ago, Dolatabadi was hired as the shoe department manager. Then just 19 years old, Dolatabadi soon after began accompanying then-owner and founder Betsy Printz on shopping trips to New York and Paris to find new merchandise. As the years went on, Dolatabadi began taking those trips on his own, eventually becoming the main buyer for the store. When Printz retired and talks of moving the store came up, Dolatabadi said she cleared the path for him to buy the store.
“I purchased the store on Sept. 28, and on the 29th I was on a plane to Paris to go shopping,” he said.
The name change, he said, will help the store mark its move into the future while still being loyal to its beginnings.
“A lot of our customers are fond of creative dressing,” said Dolatabadi, “finding things in our store that they don’t see at other locations.”
B. Prince, he said, does not do the “cookie-cutter” approach when it comes to shopping.
“We provide each customer with a unique, individual approach,” he said.
Though lots of his customers are fond of the unique layering look — putting items together in unusual ways — Dolatabadi said the boutique is also equipped to help dress more conservative shoppers. The store’s displays, he said, are a great way for shoppers to come in get ideas of their own. When it opens, B. Prince will have one of the largest, if not the largest, shoe collections in Mountain Brook Village, Dolatabadi said.
“As time goes on, the store will offer more and more special items,” he said. “There will be hand-picked items for the person who likes to buy clothing that will last for years and years instead of just trends. We also have plans to introduce new European lines featuring soon-to-be known designers.”
Dolatabadi said he’s happy that B. Prince’s tailor, Chuck Robertson, will also be making the move.
“He’s not just your run-of-the-mill tailor,” said Dolatabadi. “Chuck is able to redesign clothing to fit someone’s body. He’s a wonderful talent.”
Robertson’s services, said Dolatabadi, will be available to everyone, not just B. Prince shoppers.
This month, Dolatabadi said he expects to be deep into the final build-out process.
“The look and feel of the space will be quite different,” he said.
Whereas the Brookwood Village space had a more industrial feel with exposed ceilings, the new store will be warmer, with finished ceilings, nice lighting and a seating area.
“We want our customers to feel like they can come in and stay awhile,” Dolatabadi said.
During the move, Dolatabadi said he expects to only be closed for a weekend. Those dates, he said, will be announced in the near future.
For more information, visit the boutique’s website at betsyprinceboutique.com.
