Loyal customers surrounded business owner Joel Cohen as he cut the ribbon on the new location of his time-honored boutique last week.
Going on 56 years of business, Crystal Boutique recently celebrated its relocation from the now-vacant Crystal City Underground in October. Now located on the third floor of 2231 Crystal Drive, the store is a popular destination for women’s evening wear and custom garments.
“It is a testament to what you can do, moving from a space that’s on-street retail into an office space,” Cohen said. “Everybody said I was crazy, but it wasn’t crazy. This has become a really good decision.”
The move doubled the boutique’s original size, allowing Cohen to expand its selection and display more pieces. The 7,000-square-foot space includes over a dozen clothing racks, a jewelry display wall and eight dressing rooms.
Cohen’s mother founded the boutique in 1970. After working in the family business for 48 years, Joel Cohen celebrated the move alongside his wife, Amy Cohen, on their 54th anniversary.
The couple was joined by representatives from Arlington County, Arlington Economic Development (AED), JBG Smith and the National Landing BID. The BID’s ReLaunch program works with AED to offer assistance and technical services to longtime businesses in Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard.
“Joel has been dressing Washington, D.C.’s prominent businesswomen and others for generations,” National Landing BID President and CEO Tracy Sayegh Gabriel said. “It’s not a secret — or maybe it is a secret — that this is the place to get dressed when you have a very special occasion.”
AED and the county are also continuing work on the Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative, which allowed Cohen to reuse a commercial space for retail purposes, an AED representative said.
Several customers supported Cohen at the ribbon cutting, including Cary Hatch, who found a gown for her son’s wedding at the boutique.
“It’s got such a sophisticated flavor to their items, and you know, they’re just memorable,” Hatch said. “You don’t look like every other person.”
Cohen emphasized that the boutique will continue to offer attentive and knowledgable service, as well as unique looks for special occasions. He also thanked his customers, staff and the community for working with him to get the boutique off the ground.
“They say it takes a village,” Cohen said. “This is our village.”
