Update: Femmebot Clothing Boutique Opening Delayed

Update: A spokesperson for Femmebot Clothing said due to unforeseen circumstances the ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for Thursday has been postponed. This article will be updated when a new date is set.

Original: Written by Devin McGinley

Thanks to a successful two-year run in Ridgewood, a boutique will soon be expanding its operations with a move to 371 Springfield Ave. in Summit. 

Femmebot is set to open its second location Thursday, only a few weeks before the two-year anniversary of its 203 E. Ridgewood Avenue founding.

Owner Tina Setia said that the second location, triple the size of the company’s first, will open up opportunities to offer more jewelry, accessories and a “home department” featuring lifestyle gifts and novelty items.

But a second store wasn't always on the horizon.

“It was incredible. When I first moved into the Ridgewood space, there were 11 empty stores,” Setia said. “It was really kind of scary.”

But the downtown has since seen a turnaround, she said, including a resurgence of fashion destinations. The store’s expansion now, she added, owes to that success.

Setia found Summit, located about 30 miles south down the Garden State Parkway, similar to her Ridgewood store’s surroundings, but a bit lacking in some of the retail options village residents have come to expect in the central business district.

“Now we’d like to bring that same vibe to Summit,” Setia said. “We want Summit to once again be a shopping destination.”

The vibe, the boutique owner said, is a personal shopping experience that caters to all ages, sizes and price ranges. Setia likens the boutique to an Urban Outfitters for “half the price."

“I want the customer to feel like they’re shopping on Madison Avenue, but their wallet feels the exact opposite,” Setia said. “It’s really incorporating every aspect of shopping you can fit under one roof.”

Summit Mayor Ellen Dickson will be joining the Femmebot team at the new store,  for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Thursday. Additionally, Femmebot will be partnering with local businesses for a grand opening party featuring special promotions and giveaways from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at the new store. The event is open to the public.