Cactus Flower is best local shop

It’s housed in the same building as Bloomington staples such as Soma and Laughing Planet, and now Cactus Flower, the hip vintage clothing boutique, has finally made a name for itself.

The 34-year-old store was voted Best Local Shop, the first time it has won any category in the Best of Bloomington issue.

Why the sudden jump?

“It’s taken a long time for people to know about us and what we have,” weekend manager and buyer Sara Baldwin said. “It’s really grown to be more student-friendly with a wider range.”

The store’s wares include polka dot and beaded dresses, Betsey Johnson tights, pizza-slice earrings and gold-studded ponytail holders. Bangles and birthday cards are propped up side by side.

There’s a large selection of almost anything, but it’s the dresses that seem most popular.

“We focus on pretty clothing,” owner Jill Schaffer said. “We like to find pretty dresses.”
Baldwin said the store’s selection of both vintage, housed upstairs, and new apparel on the first floor, make it a good fit for a variety of customers.

“Our collection downstairs and upstairs spans from teens to middle ages,” Baldwin said.  

The selection of vintage clothing upstairs includes leather purses, black pumps and a men’s section. Customers can consign clothing upstairs and receive 40 percent of the profits when the item is sold.

Baldwin said she sells clothes upstairs to pay for the new wares that come in.
Cactus Flower is not the only clothing store in the area for female students. Just down the street, Cha Cha, Pitaya and Urban Outfitters offer female students plenty of choices.

Despite having other women’s stores on Kirkwood, Schaffer said Cactus Flower’s ability to survive is a testament to finding the best deals for its customers with a range of prices. 

“We try to find things that are reasonably priced but are still good quality,” Schaffer said. 

It’s the clothes, though, that keep people coming back. 

“There’s not ever going to be anything on Kirkwood that has what we have,” Baldwin said.