She started out selling clothes from her dorm. Now she’s opening a Gig Harbor boutique
Precious Collective Boutique will soon open it’s first storefront in Uptown Gig Harbor.
For the past two years the brand’s been an online boutique created by Josie Ciaciuch, 22.
Starting Saturday customers will be able to shop in-person at 4641 Point Fosdick Dr., Suite 400.
The space was formerly part of Massage Envy next door before it downsized.
Precious Collective is a women’s clothing store that strives to be inclusive, Ciaciuch told the Gateway.
“You can expect sizes anywhere from XS to XXXL with prices ranging anywhere between $20 and $150,” she said. “You can find more affordable pieces, as well as more high-end pieces.”
Having plus-size clothing was important to Ciaciuch.
“You can’t find plus-size clothing in every boutique,” she said. “My sister is a plus-size woman, and that was big drive for me wanting all sizes in my store.”
Rolla’s jeans and Saison are just a few brands you can expect to see.
“We tried to find brands that aren’t in Nordstrom or other boutiques in the region because we want to have different and unique items you can’t just get next door,” Ciaciuch said.
The store also will sell jewelry, hair clips, candles, sunglasses and perfumes.
“Elevate Everyday” is not only the brand’s slogan but something Ciaciuch strives for in her everyday styling.
“We shouldn’t be ashamed of wearing what we want as women,” she said. “We should be empowered and feel like we can express ourselves through our clothing, whether that’s wearing a blazer to the grocery store or a dress to the beach. We should be able to elevate our clothing every day and not be ashamed of that.”
She went with the name Precious Collective as a tribute to her grandfather.
“My grandpa called his grandchildren his precious treasures,” Ciaciuch said. “He was always someone who was super inspiring to me, pushed me to do my best, doing whatever I wanted to do. And so I wanted to integrate that into my brand.”
The store will have it’s Grand Opening party 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, July 8.
The party will consist of shopping, champagne, charcuterie snacks, ice tea bar and giveaways, according to Ciaciuch.
The first four people who walk through the doors Saturday will receive a $25 gift card to the store, she said.
Following the Grand Opening, hours will be:
- 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Her love for fashion started with thrifting
Ciaciuch started a secondhand clothing store on Instagram in 2019 called Gems by Josie.
“I started selling or reselling my clothes that I didn’t wear anymore and items I would find,” she said. “I would go out and find 30 pieces at one time, then turn around and resell them.”.
During the time her thrifting business was taking off, reaching over 1,000 followers in a year, she began working at a Tacoma boutique for the summer while home from college.
She learned the ins and outs of managing a boutique, inventory and styling, she said.
“While I was doing that, I was super inspired by helping women feel confident in their clothing and finding outfits that suit them,” she said.
Ciaciuch decided to start looking into opening a online boutique. In 2021, she went to her first fashion trade show in Las Vegas looking for clothes and connecting with other boutique owners.
She’s since been to buying shows in Los Angeles and Nashville.
In summer 2021, she launched her brand and website.
In the beginning she ran her online boutique out of her college dorm room and apartment at Linfield University.
All of her inventory was in her room, where she would package and send out orders, she said.
When the brand started to grow, she ended up taking over her parent’s garage.
“My mom would graciously pack orders for me,” she said.
Ciaciuch ran her business, social media accounts and website by herself.
Her college roommate was a photographer she collaborated with for content.
In December 2022 she began looking for a spot to open a storefront in Gig Harbor, where her parents live.
Ciaciuch’s spent the last two months being a college graduate, creating the space with the help of her family and counting down the days until her doors are open.
