Pure Soul Boutique owner Sylma Cabrera is bringing her brand of easy, breezy style across the ferry from Shelter Island to Greenport this summer — but it’s a family affair.
Opening today, Wednesday, June 10, in the lobby of the Zey Hotel, owned by hotelier and restaurateur Zach Erdem — who also owns Zerdem Restaurant across the street and 75 Main in Southampton — the Pure Soul summer-long pop up will be run by Cabrera’s daughter, Alexia Daniel.
“The difference between Pure Soul on Shelter Island and the pop-up in Greenport will be in the curation of the clothes,” says Cabrera. “There will be the same type of pieces, but it will be a little more funky, a little more stylish.”
Daniels, who turns 24 today (go wish her a happy birthday!), recently graduated with a degree in Fashion Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga., and, like her mom, is making a career in clothing and the design of it.
“Alexia will still be doing what we do: Affordable, good quality, real clothes for real people and not trying to reinvent the wheel or be couture or have super high prices.She’s also bringing a whole new approach that I think we need in our businesses and our communities,” says Cabrera of her chip-off-the-old-block daughter. “It’s part of my idea that perhaps we need to create more innovative spaces in the community. So we’re testing the market!”
The pop-up, which will feature more youthful versions of Cabrera’s Pure Soul staples of flowy, coastal-inspired linen and cotton clothing, as well as purses, shoes and accessories to go with them, is initially planned to run from June 10 through Labor Day Weekend. Cabrera says, however, that may well extend into the fall — and, perhaps, permanently.
Cabrera, whose flagship store is in the heart of San Juan, Puerto Rico, opened her lovely Shelter Island shop on Bridge Street near the North Ferry six years ago. But Shelter Island’s sequestered nature and extra-quiet winters have made keeping the store open year-round unrealistic. In Greenport, however, she and Daniels think they might have found the right place for
“Greenport has the foot traffic all year round and it’s a way to build comm – there’s a lot of retail right now and we need more variety and diversity in terms of businesses,” she says. “People are retiring and closing doors; we need to fill those spaces and bring newness. And we need space for the younger generation to start building own businesses here.”
To her point, Daniels, who is loves working in the concept of upcycling clothing, is hoping that eventually a permanent shop between she and her mother will include a working studio for her to put her newly minted design skills to work and, hopefully, bring the concept of renewing and reimagining older pieces into new articles of clothing — be they items brought to her by customers or those she sources herself — could be a part of the next incarnation of Pure Soul for the North Fork.
“We want to make it Pure Soul cooler — so why don’t we put the cool person there!” Cabrera laughs. “”If we do well this summer, then we will go for a permanent retail space.”
Pure Soul Boutique pop-up will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from June 10 through Labor Day Weekend at the Zey Hotel m((439 Main St., Greenport, 631-382-0306).
