A flurry of construction is taking place behind the giant Cat Woman posters on the storefront at 7423 Madison St in Forest Park.
Jayne Boutique, a woman’s apparel and home goods store, shares an owner with Madison Street Shoes and Craig’s Shoes in Berwyn.
Named after owner Craig Cohen’s feisty Arizona grandmother “Jayne,” the shop is scheduled to open late spring.
After opening one shop on Madison, Cohen has jumped into a second.
“Madison Street is a vibrant community,” said Cohen. “It’s very tight-knit and people come from all over to shop there — from Oak Park, LaGrange, Hinsdale and the collar [county] areas. We’ve drawn a lot.”
Venturing into clothing, bedding and décor items is a way to diversify, Cohen said.
Store designer Sue Schofield, a Louisville transplant, draws on her background working for years at retail chains Anthropologie and Forever 21 and hopes to tap into a little of that chain’s aesthetic appeal.
“Jayne is a lifestyle store, a one-stop shop for everything,” she said. “There’s a little bit of yoga section, some women’s apparel, bedding, candles. We’re going to cater to the already culturally diverse aesthetic of Forest Park in general, so I feel like I’m at home when I walk in.”
Construction of the space has already changed the front of the building with an expansion of current windows and exposure of a tin ceiling. Crews installed extra-large transom windows to bring in natural light, Cohen said.
Architectural touches inside include archways and updated door frames and displays featuring antique carousel horses, Schofield said.
“We want to make it really beautiful,” she said, “so you leave with good ideas to take home.”
Although Jayne will have something for everyone, Schofield said the shop should appeal to women in the 30-60 age bracket with yoga and active wear.
“I’m 30 and pretty hip, but if I have $260 in my pocket, I’m not going to spend it on jeans. I’d buy bedding,” Schofield said. “I like to think ageless. Like my aunt and her friends whose wardrobes are so cool.”
Although the store is not trying to be too brand conscious, Schofield said, they do carry some, including Cut from the Kloth denim, Free People, and Alternative Apparel. Voluspa and Illume candles are also available, she said.
And the Cat Woman posters?
Schofield said the image is part of a series of “Novena Cards” characterizing human virtues made by Louisville graphic design firm Mad Pixel which also designs album covers for bands, such as My Morning Jacket and Yo La Tengo.
“The image is intriguing,” she said, “a little bit risky. It makes you wonder, what’s going on in there? It’s ageless, and harmless and very forward.”
If all goes well, Jayne Boutique will open March 15.
“I hope people will walk in and say, ‘This is what we’ve been waiting for’ and maybe walk out with a candle,” Schofield said.
