SHOP GIRLS

The front door of The Lake Forest Shop is propped open. Its new owners—Lake Forest’s Nicole Carrabine and Lauren Peters— would love for you to drop in and see what they’ve been up to.

Last spring, Carrabine and Peters purchased The Lake Forest Shop from the Stirling family. Ellen Stirling shepherded the fashion retailer, founded by her grandmother, to its 100th anniversary in September 2022. Just a few months after the shop’s anniversary celebration, Stirling lost her battle with a long-term illness.

“Buying The Lake Forest Shop isn’t something we entered into lightly,” Peters says. “Truthfully, it was intimidating not to be a family member and think we could take over a brand that was so closely tied to Ellen. She was so loved by her customers who were incredibly loyal to her. It was hard to imagine The Lake Forest Shop without her.”

But neither Carrabine nor Peters could imagine Lake Forest without The Lake Forest Shop.

“Lauren and I both have such strong connections to this community,” Carrabine says. “The idea of continuing something that has been such a big part of our town felt really good.”

It was part serendipity and part perfect storm that Carrabine and Peters came together on this endeavor. While both had a deep love of fashion, neither one knew the other might be interested in opening a store.

“Having my own store is all I have ever wanted to do professionally,” says Peters. “I was finally at a time in my life where my children were old enough for me to consider taking on something so big.”

“One day,” Carrabine continues, “Lauren came to me and asked if I’d like to open a store with her. Like Lauren, the timing was perfect for me, too. The idea of opening a store on my own was pretty scary, but with Lauren, I knew there were real possibilities.”

The universe may have been hard at work, already bringing Carrabine and Peters together around the idea of opening a clothing store in Market Square, when the opportunity to buy The Lake Forest Shop was presented.

“Honestly, we weren’t sure it would work, but something kept telling us that we should do it,” Peters says. “And we are so glad that we did.”

The duo got right to work. While The Lake Forest Shop’s incredible team held down the fort (the familiar faces from Stirling’s team continue at the Shop), Carrabine and Peters went on their first buying trips. Their strategy: to build upon the shop’s existing special occasion business while incorporating their ideas for contemporary ready-to-wear.

“Under Ellen’s leadership, The Lake Forest Shop really became a destination for special occasion shopping,” Carrabine explains. “We have clients from all over the Midwest come for a one-of-akind dress that can be custom fit by our alterations staff. That’s an exciting part of the business that we plan to grow.”

While most buying for summer ready-to-wear had long finished by the time Carrabine and Peters took the reins, that didn’t stop them from looking for new lines they could introduce.

“Finding new brands that haven’t been available locally has been surprisingly satisfying,” Peters says. “It’s definitely been challenging. There has been a lot of knocking on doors and being persistent, but when we fall in love with a line that we’re unfamiliar with, it feels like more of a find. It makes it even more special.”

ANINE BING, Max Mara, Zimmermann, Lela Rose, Rosie Assoulin, and Silvia Tcherassi are a sampling of the new designers that will be sold at The Lake Forest Shop later this year. Additionally, shoes, belts, bags, beauty, apothecary, and fragrance will all be part of the shop’s new offerings. The Lake Forest Shop has also launched an e-commerce platform with digital styling tools for the customer who may not be local or simply wants the convenience of shopping online.

“The two of us truly love shopping,” Peters says. “There is something magical about a retailer who has a space that is beautiful, that smells good, that’s filled with pretty things. We love this when we shop and this is exactly the experience we want to create for our customers.”

While the vision Carrabine and Peters have for The Lake Forest Shop won’t come to fruition until later this fall, hints of their aesthetic are beginning to appear. The store has been freshly painted and a new coastal vibe has been introduced setting the stage for a beautifully curated boutique store for women, right in the heart of Lake Forest’s Market Square.

“I really believe that local retail is where people want to shop,” Peters says. “The more retail in our town, the better for all of us.”

For more information, visit thelakeforestshop.com. Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @thelakeforestshop. The Lake Forest Shop is located at 265 Market Square in Lake Forest.