When Becky Carpenter was growing up in the 1970s, she did not know she would use “Bokabuku”—a pet name given to her by her cousin—as the name of her clothing business.
Bokabuku—B OK as you are—is a boutique for women carrying quality American and European fashion-forward clothing that keeps in mind the changing needs of women age 35 and up across a variety of shapes and sizes.
“Everyone is beautiful and unique, and the clothes that you wear should complement your beauty—not the other way around,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter co-owns the store with her longtime friend and colleague Ann Hegarty. The store is situated on a narrow street in the Hill Country Galleria, where cars drive by slowly to catch glimpses of shops. Located along boutique row with the cluster of women’s clothing businesses in the Hill Country Galleria, the women say their store is different.
They said they initially wanted to serve the petite clientele but found tall and curvy women were also underserved. Instead of selling clothes by numbered sizes, they focus on one-size-fits-all or small, medium, large and extra small sizes.
“We would prefer that our customers be happy in the long run about what they buy rather than walk out with something they will end up not wearing,” Hegarty said.
A stylist is always present at the store to advise customers and provide recommendations on how to style or wear the items.
“We have clothes that adapt to you, not you adapting to the clothes,” Hegarty said.
Although the women celebrated the first anniversary of the store in September, the storefront originally opened in February 2020. When the pandemic began, they halted their launch plans and switched to online. Their following grew, they said.
“Friends, neighbors, new acquaintances, people who connected with our message and the different styles we carry keep coming back,” Hegarty said.
Bokabuku
12820 Hill Country Blvd., Ste. E-110, Austin
512-394-7346 | www.bokabuku.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m.
Getting to know you
Bokabuku offers high-quality, ethically produced and often locally sourced clothing and accessories for women with unique sizes, owners Becky Carpenter and Ann Hegarty said. Here is a look at how customers can enjoy the store.
- Shop for daily wear, special occasions, tops, bottoms, dresses, lingerie and gifts.
- Get advice on how to wear the clothing from an in-house stylist.
- Book a stylist online or after hours.
- Attend private in-store events that benefit charities.
Items are priced around $20 to $150 with some hats at $250 and up.
Rewards
The store offers Boka-bucks as rewards clients can collect for future purchases.
Community
The owners are members of the Bee Caves Chamber of Commerce, www.beewomen.org, Texas Women in Business Austin and the Lakeway Chamber of Commerce.
