Photos by Caitlin Abrams
Nicole Jennings of Queen Anna
“This feels like where I’m supposed to be,” says Nicole Jennings of Queen Anna boutique.
Granny Anna was a fancy gal. “She always wore beads, twirled in a knot. My girls loved to play with them,” says Nicole Jennings, who was struck with inspiration after her beloved great-grandmother’s death to open Queen Anna boutique in the North Loop. Photos of Granny Anna hang on the wall. You’ll always find scarves on the tables because they were Granny’s go-to accessory.
“When I come in early, and I’m all alone, I feel her presence,” Jennings says. “Queen Anna is destined for excellence because she taught me that failure was never an option.”
Inside Queen Anna boutique
Jennings is a nurse by trade, but fashion is in her blood. She’s confident in what she likes, and what she thinks other women are craving, from wide-leg pants and long vests to sexy blouses and cropped leather jackets. And no matter what the color of the year might be, Queen Anna will always spotlight blush. “That’s our color,” Jennings says. “It goes really well with everything.”
The store setting is as sleek as the clothes with light wood finishes, high ceilings, eye-catching art, and cowhide rugs. Jennings’s husband—former Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings, who has long been known for his suave style—helped with the design.
Blue and white checkered scarf at Queen Anna
Jennings has made a point to bring in brands not widely available in town, like Wish by Australia and Bano eeMee. Prices range from $35 T-shirts to $300-plus dresses and jackets, with plenty of options in between.
Of course, if you really want a deal, head to the back of the shop for designer discounts from Jennings’s first retail venture, One Posh Closet. (Don’t call it consignment—Jennings prefers the term “concierge service.”) It started four years ago as a way to make designer fashion more accessible by recycling clothes from her own glam closet and those of other pro athletes’ wives, and then donating a portion of proceeds to charities. Jennings says she plans to follow the same philanthropic mission at Queen Anna, working with local organizations to give back to those in need.
Granny Anna would definitely approve. 109 N. 2nd St., Mpls., 612-354-7581, queenanna.co
