CHARTING THE NEXT CHAPTER

Lauren Peters has always dreamed of owning a shop. A few years ago, the Lake Forest mother of three decided to get serious about it.

“When our girls were in a good place, school-wise, and owning a store seemed like a real possibility, my husband and I agreed that I go back into working retail to get a better understanding of the buying, selling and back-office processes,” she says. “So, I went to Lillie [Milovanovic] and asked if I could work with her because she does it all. She knows how every aspect of her business runs because she has perfected it over 30 years.”

Milovanovic came to Lake Forest in 1990 with the idea of opening a women’s clothing store. She bought the building that once housed Hansen’s Children’s Store and transformed the space into Lillie Alexander Ltd., a go-to fashion retailer for the North Shore’s most discerning shoppers.

At one time, Lillie Alexander was considered a signature store for Lilly Pulitzer, a rare distinction for a store located in a part of the country where there are more cold days than not. Over the years, she’s had her finger on the pulse of up-and-coming designers, being one of the first on the North Shore to offer Veronica Beard, Ulla Johnson, and Nili Lotan.

“I have so much admiration for Lillie,” Peters says. “To think that she came to Lake Forest 35 years ago, opened a store, and ran it as owneroperator that whole time—the instincts, guts, and the discipline—is truly impressive.”

When Peters first moved to Lake Forest as a newly married graduate student, she was looking for a part-time job in retail—even then, the allure of working in fashion was strong. Because her mother was a frequent customer of Ellen Stirling’s, Peters stopped by The Lake Forest Shop to see if they might hire her.

“I was so intimidated the first time I met Ellen,” Peters explains. “She asked me for my book, and I was like, my what? In those days, Ellen was looking for a salesperson who came in with a ‘book’ of clients. I was just starting out and didn’t have anything like that. But Ellen was very good to me. She told me to believe in the value of what I liked doing. She had a very kind and empowering tone and encouraged me to go and talk with Lillie.”

And that’s exactly what Peters did, which is where her story with Milovanovic begins.

“Working with Lillie was the best master class in retail I could take,” she says. “Long before I was serious about having my own store, Lillie taught me the importance of customer service. She said to always put the customer first, and she kept trying until she found something the customer liked. It made her so happy when she did!”

As Peters raised her three girls, she stayed close with Milovanovic— sometimes helping on the store floor when she could, and other times as a customer for her family and friends. Milovanovic was the natural choice for Peters to choose as a mentor when her husband encouraged her to get the experience she needed to someday successfully open a store of her own.

One Sunday afternoon, Peters was working at Lillie Alexander when Milovanovic stopped in unexpectedly on her day off.

“Lillie could tell I had been crying. My husband had just told me about the new job he had been offered that would move our family to Seattle. And Lillie said, ‘I thought you were going to take over my business someday’,” explains Peters, who recently signed papers for a partnership with Milovanovic that will ultimately put Peters at the helm of the boutique. “I’m not sure if that moment hadn’t happened if we would be where we are today.”

With Lillie now able to do the things she enjoys doing, Peters keeps the day-to-day operations running.

“Lillie’s clients can rest assured knowing that all of the things they love about Lillie Alexander will continue to be part of this special store,” she adds. Selling Lillie Alexander is not something Milovanovic has taken lightly or came easily.

“I love my customers and putting together looks that are perfect for them. I so enjoyed getting their photographs of how they wore something they purchased and hearing how many compliments they received,” says Milovanovic. “I also appreciate my close relationships with all of the brand reps. We worked together to pick the best items for our customers. I know Lauren will be successful if she continues to carry on this same philosophy. I know she will.”

Lillie Alexander Ltd. is located at 197 E Westminster Avenue in Lake Forest. for more information, call 847-295-8686.