Shana Colbin Dunn opened her first Kismet boutique in Highland thirteen years ago, without any inkling that her concept could one day grow into an empire. But not only did Kismet eventually spread, with new shops in Lowry and Cherry Hills, but Dunn then launched a second concept a few years ago at Stanley Marketplace and in LoHi, a holistic boutique called True that sells wellness and beauty products alongside clothing and accessories.
That was already a pretty good track record, but Dunn continued to forge ahead, introducing yet another concept, Luna and Jasper, in a pop-up space in the new Broadway Market earlier this year. That did well enough to have her hankering for more.
“I had been in Highland for thirteen years,” Dunn says of her first Kismet boutique. “I felt like the neighborhood had changed so drastically, and the store has also changed, though the fundamentals didn’t.” In the meantime, with the Luna and Jasper brand working as a pop-up, she began to envision how it would work in a larger, permanent location.
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Ultimately, Dunn opted to give the original Kismet a makeover, renaming it Luna and Jasper, adding more gift, men’s and baby items, and giving "the space a fresh look. I still wanted to be exclusive with designers I’ve carried for years and keep all those things people really love. But I wanted to experiment and start offering new things, too," she explains.
“Kismet lovers will still recognize their favorite brands,” she adds. “We still carry the same fabulous jewelry and clothing.”
EXPANDThe moniker Luna and Jasper combines the middle names of her kids, Dunn reveals, but she discovered a deeper meaning in the juxtaposition of those names as it related to the rest of her retail dynasty. “I didn't know it when I named them," she says, "but Luna means 'moon' and Jasper is a stone, and I thought, 'Wait a minute — all three concepts go hand in hand with that.'”
Kismet, she explains, was her “destiny,” and “True is about authenticity: grounded and earthy, ethereal and frivolous, spiritual and practical. I thought this would be a really good third sibling.”
In the short time the updated store has been open in its new guise, Dunn says that the response has been great. “People like that they can find things in all price ranges, and things that cover more categories — even that we have clothing you can gift as well, like easy pieces, jewelry and accessories," she notes. “A lot of people walk in and say, ‘Oh, it feels really good in here.’ Others don't really notice. It’s a great project that’s fun for me, too. I grew with this business, and thirteen years in, I asked myself, 'What can I do to jazz things up?'
"That gave me the impetus to try something different, to shake things up a little bit. And...it’s a good excuse to have a party.”
EXPANDThat’s exactly what Dunn is doing on Saturday, August 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the newly appointed Luna and Jasper, 3640 West 32nd Avenue. A favorite jewelry line, Mercer and Jayne, will be in the house with a trunk show, and the grand-opening bash will amp up from noon to 3 p.m. with live music, sparkly hair extensions by Colorado Fairy Hair, goody bags, a selfie station and special stardust cocktails, all on the house. Learn more about Luna and Jasper at the Facebook page.
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