Another goodbye to a favorite franchise:

This seems to be the year of shutting down Lydia’s favorite places: this month, the boutique clothing store Francesca’s started shuttering stores across the country. 

Francesca’s, a Houston-based clothing company founded in 1999, found its niche as a boutique-style clothing store. Their seasonal drops were intentionally small and all within the same color palette. The intention was that you could pair any number of items from the store and they would all match, allowing the shopper to build coordinated outfits with ease. Personally, I loved their unique jewelry, especially their extensive earrings selection. 

Francesca’s bankruptcy is a part of a larger trend of mall-based store closures. Economists estimate around 25% of all malls in the US have closed, with no major malls being build since 2006. 

Personally, I love the mall! Anyone who’s ever tried to buy women’s jeans knows those things always fit differently than the website says! But I will admit, living in LA where mall culture is alive and well definitely influences that!

When was the last time you shopped at the mall? Do you think that shopping in-person is worth the trip, or do you prefer to explore the Amazon ;)