Pandemic-Hatched Biz Perseveres, Moves Up

Kimberly Sewell-Poole watched stylishly dressed pedestrians pass by her new storefront window — and thought back to SoHo. Her new building’s exposed-brick interior recalled boutiques she loved while growing up in Baltimore.

She knew she was in the right spot.

Sewell-Poole (pictured) shared these memories with a crowd who had gathered Wednesday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new location for her own boutique, More Amour, at the corner of Chapel and York Streets in the Chapel Street Historic District.

Sewell-Poole first opened her retro-chic boutique on Whalley Avenue in March of 2020 — just as the pandemic tore through town. That proved unfortunate timing for a brand new business; More Amour had to shut its doors just ten days after opening.

But she didn’t allow the pandemic to kill her dream of running her own boutique. With ten years at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, she had ample experience in the industry. And fashion runs in her blood: Her parents owned a clothing store for six years, her uncle was a fashion designer for Beyoncé‘s House of Deréon, and her cousins have their own fashion businesses.

By June, Sewell-Poole was able to reopen on Whalley. Now, two years later, the boutique has moved to a prime location with increased visibility and nostalgia for Sewell-Poole’s Baltimore roots.

“This definitely reminds me of Baltimore … Fells Point, Federal Hill days. Hanging out downtown, you would pretty much see a brick wall in every store. So it reminds me of home,” Sewell-Poole said of the new boutique interior.

City officials, fellow business owners, longtime friends, patrons, and even two dogs turned out for the event at Yale-owned 1130 Chapel. The rainy afternoon required festivities to transpire indoors, a move that serendipitously allowed attendees to peruse the clothing selection.

Lauren Zucker, Yale University associate vice president for New Haven affairs, was among those to find a suitable clothing item. During her opening remarks, Zucker donned a More Amour piece, a shiny blue-green jacket made out of entirely recycled materials in Columbia by Movu Sportswear.

“We are delighted to celebrate the continued growth of downtown New Haven with the official ribbon cutting for More Amour, here at 1130 Chapel St.,” Zucker said. ​“You can tell by my clothing that it offers edgy, fashion-forward and statement-making women’s clothing and accessories that cater to a broad variety of styles and budgets.”

Zucker emphasized that the small business is independently owned, woman-owned, and Black-owned, and praised the thoughtful curation of Sewell-Poole’s supply.

Mayor Justin Elicker spoke to the resurgence of vibrancy downtown, with businesses like More Amour seeing more foot traffic after two years of economic difficulty: ​“We are so excited to support young entrepreneurs that have an idea, a passion, and a willingness to throw themselves into the community. And especially at this challenging time to do that. … We’re grateful for you taking a risk on us in the city.”

During Sewell-Poole’s closing remarks, she promised to bring ​“eclectic, retro-chic pieces that you will never forget,” and said she looks forward to serving everyone ​“fashionably.” Before leaving the podium, the business owner gave a shout-out to her family members watching in Baltimore from a livestream and blew a kiss.

Zucker presented Sewell-Poole with a congratulatory plaque from the Shops at Yale before the two lined up for the ribbon cutting. Afterward, local artists DJ Handles and singer STOUT performed while attendees enjoyed light refreshments and hors’ d’oeuvres.