One great advantage of owning a business in Skaneateles is that stores rarely see a shortage of customers.
And with the opening of Alexandras, a clothing boutique located at 31 Jordan St., shoppers now have even more to choose from.
On Nov. 15 evening, Alexandras held its grand opening, which included hors d'oeuvres, wine and cocktails, and discussion of the shop's high-fashion merchandise.
“There are already some really nice boutiques (in Skaneateles), and I want my store to complement those,” Rhonda Schoeneck, Alexandras' owner, said after Thursday's affair. “I wanted to be in a place with a lot of foot traffic, which I know for a fact Skaneateles has.”
A Syracuse native, Schoeneck worked as a hairstylist in Fayetteville for many years before relocating to Marcellus several years ago. After moving, Schoeneck said she decided to open a boutique there called The Striped Zebra.
“For a long time, I thought I had no business being in the (clothing) business,” she joked. “But it was always a dream of mine to own a boutique...so I went for it.”
Unfortunately, The Striped Zebra closed its doors after five years of operation, giving Schoeneck the opportunity to establish a store in Skaneateles.
Alexandras, which is named after Schoeneck's daughter, features “edgy and funky” merchandise, she said.
“I think ‘fashion-forward' is the best way to describe the things I sell. ... I'm hoping to offer stuff that's a little different from the norm,” she remarked.
Schoeneck said that she hasn't decided on particular clothing lines to feature but will rely on eclectic offerings. The shop will also carry high-quality ladies' handbags, she added.
“I've connected with a lot of people here that are involved with the ‘art world,' especially people at Skaneateles Artisans,” she said.
In addition, Alexandras will carry jewelry and clothing created by area artisans. One such artist is Amber Blanding, of Kirkville, who owns a company called Amber Waves of Glass, which sells Blanding's creations of stained glass and beaded jewelry.
“I learned about this store through my friend Kevin Lucas, who owns the art gallery next door,” Blanding said during Thursday's grand opening.
As guests milled about the shop examining the merchandise, Blanding explained how she created her jewelry, which was neatly arranged on several shelves.
“All my jewelry is handmade, and I get a lot of the glass from Brennan Stained Glass (in Syracuse), where I used to work,” she said.
Schoeneck said that Alexandras is open until 5 p.m. six days per week, but that may soon change.
“I might start staying open later to accommodate Christmas shoppers, and people who come to the Dickens' Festival,” she said.
Learn More
What: Alexandras
Where: 31 Jordan St., Skaneateles
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
For more information, call
554-8074.
On Nov. 15 evening, Alexandras held its grand opening, which included hors d'oeuvres, wine and cocktails, and discussion of the shop's high-fashion merchandise.
“There are already some really nice boutiques (in Skaneateles), and I want my store to complement those,” Rhonda Schoeneck, Alexandras' owner, said after Thursday's affair. “I wanted to be in a place with a lot of foot traffic, which I know for a fact Skaneateles has.”
A Syracuse native, Schoeneck worked as a hairstylist in Fayetteville for many years before relocating to Marcellus several years ago. After moving, Schoeneck said she decided to open a boutique there called The Striped Zebra.
“For a long time, I thought I had no business being in the (clothing) business,” she joked. “But it was always a dream of mine to own a boutique...so I went for it.”
Unfortunately, The Striped Zebra closed its doors after five years of operation, giving Schoeneck the opportunity to establish a store in Skaneateles.
Alexandras, which is named after Schoeneck's daughter, features “edgy and funky” merchandise, she said.
“I think ‘fashion-forward' is the best way to describe the things I sell. ... I'm hoping to offer stuff that's a little different from the norm,” she remarked.
Schoeneck said that she hasn't decided on particular clothing lines to feature but will rely on eclectic offerings. The shop will also carry high-quality ladies' handbags, she added.
“I've connected with a lot of people here that are involved with the ‘art world,' especially people at Skaneateles Artisans,” she said.
In addition, Alexandras will carry jewelry and clothing created by area artisans. One such artist is Amber Blanding, of Kirkville, who owns a company called Amber Waves of Glass, which sells Blanding's creations of stained glass and beaded jewelry.
“I learned about this store through my friend Kevin Lucas, who owns the art gallery next door,” Blanding said during Thursday's grand opening.
As guests milled about the shop examining the merchandise, Blanding explained how she created her jewelry, which was neatly arranged on several shelves.
“All my jewelry is handmade, and I get a lot of the glass from Brennan Stained Glass (in Syracuse), where I used to work,” she said.
Schoeneck said that Alexandras is open until 5 p.m. six days per week, but that may soon change.
“I might start staying open later to accommodate Christmas shoppers, and people who come to the Dickens' Festival,” she said.
Learn More
What: Alexandras
Where: 31 Jordan St., Skaneateles
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
For more information, call
554-8074.
