Fresh Face: La Chic Boutique – Alysha Martinelli

A loyal customer of Alysha Martinelli’s first La Chic Boutique location in Chester Springs kept insisting she should open in West Chester too. “I wanted to come to West Chester from the start,” she says. “But it was important to me to be on a main street.”

When that customer told her about a new space on W. Gay Street, Alysha looked at it ASAP. Downtown West Chester was thriving—people were strolling around and the restaurants were popping. It looked perfect. Still, she asked her parents—who raised her while running card and gift shops themselves—for guidance.

“My dad told me I’d be an idiot not to,” says Alysha. She signed the lease and started renovating, and opened her second location in November 2017.

Alysha’s energy and warmth make her a trusted fashion advisor. “I love getting to know my clients, telling them honestly what works and what doesn’t,” she says. Her advice is “be comfortable and confident, buy clothes that work for you.” Alysha’s New York style boutique offers the newest trends each season while keeping quality staples on hand too.

She’s never off the clock. “Clients call while I’m playing tennis, asking what to wear for a special occasion. I’ll pause the game to take it,” Alysha says. But she always makes time for her daughter too. “Working in retail and hiring great people lets me have the time I need with her,” she says. “I grew up in retail, and I love it all.”