A MANHATTAN INSPIRED FASHION BOUTIQUE IN RED BANK PAIRS A METROPOLITAN STYLE SENSE WITH A BESPOKE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
BY ERIK SCHONING • PHOTOS BY ROBERT NUZZIE
For any budding entrepreneur, there are opportune times to launch a new business, occasions when the stars align and everything seems to fall into place. Then there are hard times. Veronica Mogilevich certainly did not follow the easy route, opening her Red Bank boutique Another Sunday during the height of COVID, but even a pandemic couldn’t stop her. At the time, she was working as a registered nurse (a demanding career in its own right) and had spent years building a significant social media following. She had been in the fashion industry her whole life, and knew it was time to finally take the leap.
“I decided I wanted to go back to what I love doing, and I opened up this shop,” Mogilevich said. “It was definitely scary, but I had really high hopes. I felt like people wanted to better themselves at that time, to look good and feel good, and I was there to help them through that process.”
Mogilevich’s strategy was to draw on her experience as a lifelong New Yorker to import a sense of Manhattan style into New Jersey. She was accustomed to fast paced clients who wanted to dress in every shade of black, and she recalled it was exciting to branch out and work with a clientele in New Jersey who harbored a greater interest in different patterns, hues, and materials. She sees her role as a kind of fashion boundary pusher, encouraging her customers to think outside the box and try new looks every time they walk into the store.
“What I buy is very different from what is sold in this area,” Mogilevich said. “I want people to push themselves a little bit. A lot of people get nervous; they think a piece looks better on someone else. But if I can get them to try it on, often they love it. They always say that it’s not something they would ever choose for themselves, but they love it. I love hearing that.”
Mogilevich personally travels across the country to find the perfect pieces for Another Sunday. She prioritizes quality, well made garments, sourcing brands made in the U.S. or Australia. But the first thing a customer will notice when they step foot into the boutique is that, while these pieces are influenced by a New Yorker’s fashion sense, they don’t come with an NYC price tag. It’s a point of pride for Mogilevich to sell clothes that are not disposable fast fashion, but aren’t exorbitantly expensive, either. It’s a balancing act that she’s been able to execute well.
This accessibility extends beyond the price point. The space itself is open, bright, and inviting. “I wanted it to be very light and cool,” she said. “I wanted people to come in and want to be there, to take pictures in the store. I wanted a place where I myself would want to shop. I feel the way that you display your clothes, the way they are hung, and the aesthetic of your establishment tells a lot about who you are as a business owner, and it tells a good story about the clothes that you’re selling.”
Mogilevich manages Another Sunday’s social media herself, and she’s leveraged her internet savvy to expand the boutique beyond its brick and mortar presence. One of the biggest challenges for any budding business is reach, navigating how to compete with bigger stores and online retailers. Mogilevich has turned the boutique’s Instagram account into an online marketplace in its own right, posting new pieces, discussing sizing and fit with potential buyers, and shipping product to customers all over the country.
With autumn around the corner, Mogilevich is looking forward to the return of her busiest season, as her clients look to put together new seasonal wardrobes. Despite still working as a registered nurse, Mogilevich makes time to consult with clients, offering a personalized shopping experience that draws upon her expertise. As Another Sunday continues to grow relationships with the community of Red Bank and beyond, that personal touch, as well as a wide range of looks and styles, has gone a long way. “Different types of women shop in my store, and that’s something I’m extremely proud of,” Mogilevich said. “I have teenage girls all the way to 80 year old women shop here. I didn’t want to have just one specific age group. I wanted it to be a place where mother and daughter can walk in and both can come out with something.”
Despite the nonstop grind that befalls any small business owner, Mogilevich is eyeing a second location in northern New Jersey, a decision motivated by the overwhelmingly positive reception she’s enjoyed. In the two years she’s been in business, she’s learned a lot about how to run a modern clothing boutique. That knowledge, like fashion sense, is priceless.