Eight weeks ago, The Sunroom opened in Clintonville at 3337 N. High St. Owned and operated by Suzanne Riska and Chloe Crites, the eco-conscious boutique houses a wide variety of goods from women’s clothes, to candles, to handmade jewelry, to macramé planters.
Both Riska and Crites have backgrounds in retail, having worked for bigger companies. Bothered by the lack of transparency about where the goods came from, they teamed up to launch an open, honest company that is completely upfront about where they get their goods. Apart from one line from a small company in France, all of their clothes are made in the U.S. Everything in their store is ethically made, and Riska and Crites are ready and eager to tell their customers about it. In addition to their clothes, The Sunroom also carries Stockholm shoes, One Six Five jewelry, and fair-trade home goods from the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, India, and Morocco.
Riska and Crites acknowledge their clothes are not “fast fashion” and are therefore priced a little higher than one might find on a clearance rack at a chain retailer. Their clothes are handmade by designers and are more sustainable and durable. Riska and Crites strive to stay true to why they opened The Sunroom – to offer ethically made goods. Within that goal, they’re retail inclusive, meaning they do not cater to a specific body type. Instead of being a “Big & Tall” or “Plus” or “Petite” store, The Sunroom offers all shapes and sizes of clothing.
The store is a welcomed addition to their Clintonville location. They have hosted and participated in a number of workshops, such as how to make a macramé planter, and are looking forward to hosting a variety of other workshops. Riska and Crites hope to someday have a bigger space that will allow them more room for workshops, as well as offer the opportunity to expand their clothes into men’s and children’s.
More information can be found at thesunroom.co.
