Though I’m scrambling madly at this point to resurrect the shop in time for reopening it on Friday, I was blissfully, decadently, insanely well-rested for almost a month. And the restorative downtime (not to mention the divine cruise with DH!) gave me plenty of space in which to reflect on Cur.io’s “personality” and place in everything from my life to Greater Boston’s retail landscape.

I thought about how the shop’s boutique size defines it, and how, despite my starry-eyed dreams of a cavernous layout with multiple floors, full basement, and warehouse-sized storeroom, having renewed my lease at the Moody Street location means I must actually be okay with forever schlepping my surplus stock back and forth off site. Because the upside to operating out of a glorified closet is that it’s possible (even necessary) to maintain a detailed mental map of every nook and cranny in it, and to curate the contents really, really carefully.

The constant challenge is to effectively rotate and handpick pieces so the shop’s collection stays seasonally-cued, eye-catching, and the very best quality and condition possible. Cur.io may not have racks upon racks of options in a particular category (which frankly can overwhelm as easily as inspire), but we do offer a slew of unique standouts in a range of sizes and price points, designed to help our customers enhance and enrich their one-of-a-kind style.

The long and short of it, I guess, is that I’m finally past the “if we were bigger” fantasy. Cur.io’s compact size is exactly the point, and I’m full of renewed energy and ideas about how to realize our vision and goals within it.

A few of them:

–The $5-$10-$15 rack by the fitting rooms (introduced just before our vacation closing), where you’ll find inspirations for your wardrobe, all priced at fifteen dollars or under.

–The “Style Laboratory” manni, in the niche to the left of the white cubes wall display, which will feature ways to wear and accessorize both men and women’s vintage, and will hopefully inspire some experiments of your own. (NOTE: Though items in the front window aren’t available for sale while on display, garments on the “Style Laboratory” mannis can always be tried on and/or purchased on the spot).

–Frequent pictures, on our Facebook page, of new additions to the shop, along with information about them (ie designer or label history, era specifics, details of contruction, etc) which you may not “get” from seeing them on a hanger.

Anyway, Happy Labor Day, and hope to see you on Friday!