Tes de Luna, she of the always-perfect matte lipstick and pioneering local/indie boutique Velouria, announced yesterday that this fall, she’s opening a second shop on Capitol Hill.

She and I chatted about it via email.

WWW: So, the obvious. Why now, and how now? While others are tightening their buys and scaling back, you’re expanding.

TdL: I almost feel an obligation to expand; my business is eco-friendly and the store is packed with quality items customers will cherish for years to come. I think we all need to remember the importance of buying things we can feel good about.

I have been dreaming about opening another location for quite some time. I really want to bring more options to more people, and there are lots of creative people around Capitol Hill and Downtown that can just walk on over to the new location instead of having to drive across town to get to Ballard. I hear so often that people love Ballard, but let’s face it, it can be a hike!

WWW: Will the new location be different than the flagship store?

TdL: Velouria’s new location will carry many of the indie designer clothes, jewelry, and housewares we stock in Ballard, but we are going to have room for a small men’s section that I am really excited about. I have many men that are looking for independently made goods, so I think it will be a great fit for the hill. We will continue to have fine art each month for the art walk as well.

WWW: You were one of the first to bring indie designers from all over the country together under one roof. Has your shopper changed over the years? Is small-batch fashion recession proof?

TdL: I am very thankful to the loyal customers who continue to support my brick and mortar store during these tough times. Since opening almost 5 years ago in Ballard, there has definitely been a strong movement towards shopping local and I am glad I have been a part of the process. I think many people have realized that if they spend their money locally it benefits their community directly. I have definitely felt a crunch as have my designers, but we are trying to stick it out. I am hoping this weight lifts and in the meantime I am taking a big risk, but I am hoping that people will continue to see the benefits of supporting small local businesses. By bringing the goods closer to them, I am hoping it will make it easier for them to support us.

Luckily, I didn’t start my business to make a bunch of money, I am an artist by trade, so I can live frugally and feel blessed to have a creative life, surrounded by things that people have made and put a part of themselves into.

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To surround yourself with well-crafted goods from Austin, Brooklyn, San Fran, and your own backyard, visit Velouria, as well as Retail Therapy, Georgetown Tile Works, and Bouncing Wall

And hey—what’d I miss? You tell me.

[images courtesy Velouria]