FAQ

Mainstream Boutique is a women's fashion boutique brand founded in 1991 by Marie DeNicola. Today it's a family-owned franchise with 56 locally-owned boutiques across 17 states, each offering a curated mix of women's clothing, denim, accessories, and gifts along with personalized in-store styling. Our mission is simple: to love, strengthen, and celebrate women in our communities.

Yes. Founder Marie DeNicola grew Mainstream Boutique from a spare bedroom into a profitable business and was invited onto The Oprah Winfrey Show to share her entrepreneurial story. That national spotlight sparked franchise interest from women across the country and helped grow the brand into the 56-store network it is today.

Mainstream Boutique is a family-owned company led by founder Marie DeNicola and her children, who serve in leadership roles across the brand. Each individual boutique is independently owned and operated by a local franchise owner — most of whom run their stores alongside family members.

Mac & Me is Mainstream Boutique's exclusive in-house clothing brand, designed to give our boutiques pieces you won't find anywhere else. It's managed out of our flagship Apple Valley, Minnesota location and is one of the perks that sets a Mainstream Boutique apart from ordinary clothing stores.

Yes. Because every boutique is independently owned, each location has its own online store and its own curated inventory. Find your nearest boutique on our store locator and click “Shop This Store” to browse and buy from that location online — or shop their live sales and styling on Facebook.

Visit our store locator, enter your city or ZIP code, and you'll see nearby boutiques with addresses, phone numbers, hours, and a link to each store's website. With 56 locations across 17 states, there may be one closer than you think.

Our boutiques carry women's clothing, denim, tops, jackets, accessories, and gifts, plus our exclusive Mac & Me line. Assortments are hand-selected by our buying team each season, so the mix stays fresh and on-trend — and varies a little from store to store.

Yes, and it's complimentary. Every boutique has trained stylists who help you find pieces that fit your body, budget, and personal style — in-store and often online too. It's the heart of the Mainstream Boutique experience.

Each Mainstream Boutique is independently owned and operated, so pricing, promotions, rewards, and inventory are set by each local owner. If you have a question about a specific item, sale, or order, the fastest answer comes from contacting that store directly through its page on our locator.

Yes. Most boutiques offer both physical and digital gift cards, available in-store and on the store's website. Because stores are independently owned, a gift card is generally redeemable at the specific boutique that issued it, so check with your local store on where it can be used.

Return policies are set by each independently-owned location, but most boutiques accept unwashed, unworn merchandise with tags attached, typically within about 14 days, for store credit or exchange (clearance is usually final sale). For exact terms, check the return policy on your local store's website or reach out to them directly.

Many boutiques run a loyalty/rewards program — a common example is earning a reward after reaching a spending threshold. Rewards, credits, and coupons are tied to the specific store where you earned them and aren't transferable between locations, since each boutique is independently owned.

Getting started is easy: request a free franchise information kit and we'll schedule an introductory call. From there the process moves through a discovery call, video interviews with our team, franchise award, store build-out with our real estate and design partners, and a supported grand opening — typically a few months from signing to open. Learn more on our franchise page.

No prior retail or franchise experience is required. Our training covers operations, buying, merchandising, and our signature styling techniques, and every owner gets a dedicated franchise coach for ongoing support. Many of our owners came from careers in healthcare, education, accounting, and corporate roles.

Owners get end-to-end support: help with site selection and lease negotiation, store design and build-out, access to our exclusive Mac & Me brand and member-owned buying co-op, comprehensive pre- and post-opening training, and ongoing marketing and social media guidance from a dedicated coach.

Most owners go from initial inquiry to signing in about 30–90 days, then from signing to grand opening in roughly 4–6 months. Timelines vary with real estate and build-out, and our team supports you at every step.

Individual boutiques hire their own store teams locally, so the best way to find openings is to contact the boutique nearest you through our store locator. For corporate/home-office roles, email us at careers@mainstreamboutique.com or see our Careers page.

For questions about a specific order, product, return, or gift card, contact your local boutique directly through our store locator — they'll have the fastest answer. For brand, franchise, careers, press, or wholesale inquiries, reach the Mainstream Boutique Home Office using the contact directory at the bottom of this page.