Aboutique (French:[butik]) is a retail shop that deals inhigh end fashionable clothing or accessories.[1] The word isFrench for "shop", which derives ultimately from theAncient Greekἀποθήκη (apothēkē) "storehouse".[2][3]
The termboutique and alsodesigner refer (with some differences) to bothgoods and services,[4] which are containing some element that is claimed to justify an extremely high price.
The termboutique entered common English parlance in the late 1960s.[citation needed]
Some multi-outlet businesses (Chain stores) can be referred to asboutiques if they target small, upscaleniche markets.[5] Although someboutiques specialize in hand-made items and other unique products, others simply produce T-shirts, stickers, and other fashion accessories inartificially small runs and sell them at high prices.
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In the late 1990s, some European retail traders developed the idea of tailoring a shop towards alifestyle theme, in what they called "concept stores,"[6] which specialized incross-selling without using separate departments. One of the first concept stores was[citation needed]10 Corso Como in Milan, Italy, founded in 1990, followed byColette[7] inParis and Quartier 206 inBerlin.[8] Several well-known American chains such asTiffany & Co.,Urban Outfitters,[9][10]Dash, andThe Gap,[11]