The Shop Around the Corner

Spring 2021

Stoopher and Boots were the childhood nicknames that Stephanie Goldstein ’97 and her sister, Elizabeth, were playfully called by their dad. Now it’s the name of Goldstein’s boutique, a lifelong dream in which she has invested her whole self, from picking out mermaid pencil pouches to developing clothing lines.

The Manhattan shop sells sundry items — apparel for babies, toddlers, teens, and moms as well as toys and gifts — but the products constitute a curated collection handpicked by Goldstein. “Everything is tailored to the taste of our customers and to my taste,” she says.

For the clientele, shopping at Stoopher & Boots is a personalized experience. Goldstein has come to know them well, and they know her. She lives around the corner from the store’s location on the Upper West Side, and she’s a constant presence in the shop. 

Photo by Laura Barisonzi

“My staff and I are good at remembering our customers,” she says. “We’re like elephants … we remember all the details.”

If you’re a regular customer (as many are), they can guide your gift giving by telling you what leopard faux fur coat your friend’s daughter has been eyeing, other trends she’s following, and her size. They can give you the scoop on what toys a mom doesn’t want in her house and what others have already bought the child. 

This approach has helped Stoopher & Boots succeed for 10 years — doubling the size of the store two years ago and surviving through the pandemic, when New York City stores had to shutter for months and then limit in-store customers. 

Goldstein gained much of her business acumen in her 13-year career with the Fortune 500 company Accenture. Though she’s thankful for the training and foundation, Goldstein didn’t enjoy the work, which she characterizes as “human performance change management.” In her current role, she dedicates much longer hours, but is so enthused by her occupation that she jokingly says she feels like she’s retired. “It’s just so fun,” she says. 

Part of the attraction with opening her own shop was that Goldstein — who had been making and selling T-shirts online — could “stay crafty.” It started with embellishing and printing graphics on tops. Now, she has several clothing lines that she sells in the shop and to approximately 100 stores across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Panama.

The Sparkle line features rainbow hearts, sequin stars, and unicorns. With Tweenstyle, think tons of tie dye, animal prints, and lightning bolts. Then there are teen boys’ tees — boasting sayings like “Nothin’ but net” and “Savage” — in the LCK line she codesigned with her boyfriend’s 13-year-old son (and named for his initials).  

Running a business during the quarantine last spring was difficult, but Goldstein made the most of the situation. She began making face masks from super soft, boldly printed fabrics. Fortunately, Stoopher & Boots already had a website where people could make purchases for curbside pickup or shipping. But her staff refocused their online marketing to targeted email blasts and Instagram posts. They also found new ways to keep customers engaged, like downloadable coloring sheets and other free activities to entertain kids stuck at home. 

Goldstein continued providing personalized shopping, although it was more time consuming because it was done via texting and phone calls. She also kept up with her clientele by offering a virtual fashion class with one of the local schools, where she asked students for feedback on designs for the fall. 

Looking toward the future, as fashion and retail always do, Goldstein has started making room for vacation wear. She herself rarely takes days off (“Christmas and July 4”), but that’s because, Goldstein says, “I’m doing what I love, and I’m so thankful that I have the support of the community to do that.”