While I have developed a sort of longing to return to the quaint town of Kent, Ohio so classes can start again, I’m lucky that there’s still a plethora of things to do in my hometown of Pittsburgh. One of the best parts about being home for the holidays is taking full advantage of all the places that Pittsburgh has for sightseeing, dining and, of course, purchasing a few items of clothing to wear for when school is back in session. I stumbled upon a stunning new boutique in Lawrenceville during one of my many days of Pittsburgh exploration and decided to pop in to learn more about the inspiration behind the store.
Name: Brianne Conley
Role: Co-Owner, Number Fourteen
CollegeFashionista: What is your role within the store?
Brianne Conley: I’m co-owner with my mom. My main responsibility is the clothing. I have to keep in contact with all of my reps who tell me when new collections come out. I buy the clothes, fix the clothes, steam the clothes and tag the clothes. That’s something that just comes naturally when you walk into a store, but you don’t realize what happens behind the scenes. I’m also in charge of all of the social media and all of the customer care. You name it, we do it.
CF: How did the name Number Fourteen come to be?
BC: I graduated in 2014 [and] we opened the store in 2014. I’m one of four children; my boyfriend and I have been together since I was 14 and his college football number was 14. The worst part of having a store is naming it! It’s hard because it’s your baby. You want the name to portray something you love and something chic at the same time.
CF: Can you describe the aesthetic of the store?
BC: I want it to be light and airy, and I want it to be feminine. When we bought the building, we knew we wanted a lot of light with white walls and white floors. I wanted to be in a place where I felt happy every day. And I am, and I love it.
CF: What has been the most rewarding part of opening your boutique?
BC: The most rewarding part has been the feedback I get from the public. People love this store, and I love that people love it. It was intimidating opening this store in Lawrencevile because it’s known as one of the top “hipster” areas in the world, and obviously, my store is not hipster. But I think that there’s a need for something like this down here. People come from near and far just to visit the store. I think the positive feedback would be the most rewarding thing, along with the satisfaction of knowing that I’m doing what I want regardless of the amount of work.
Learn More: If you find yourself in Pittsburgh, be sure to visit Brianne at her wonderfully whimsical boutique, located at 4601 Butler Street. Be sure to follow their Instagram, @No.14_boutique.
