St. Petersburg is proving to be a popular destination for women’s clothing boutiques. After a handful of new boutiques opened last year, another, Bay Club, recently debuted at 4401 4th Street North. Melinda Kulpa of KW Commercial represented Bay Club in the lease transaction.

Owner Rachel Rawles, a veteran of the fashion industry, said she’s hoping to bring something new and exciting to the Sunshine City.

“I was at Spanx for the past 10 years designing women's wear,” Rawles said. “So, this is new for me, opening up a store, but I've always been in fashion and design, and I’m super excited to share a different style — something that's not here yet.” 

She added, “When I say different, I don't mean crazy different. I just mean bringing new brands to St. Pete, that cater to our Florida lifestyle. I've done a lot of research on what brands I want to carry. That may evolve over time, but the core will remain the same which is trend-driven clothing that is versatile and functional!”

Rawles has curated clothing and accessories that appeal to a wide age range of women, brands that are not readily accessible in the St. Pete/Tampa Bay area.

The overall aesthetic of Bay Club, according to Rawles, is elevated and fun everyday clothing that can take you from both day to night.

“We carry everything but activewear. Bay Club offers tops, bottoms, dresses, denim, accessories, and jewelry,” said Rawles.

“Customers can expect to find a lot of colorful clothing and fun timeless prints. Things you can wear out with your kids, or your significant other on a date night. And we have dressier tops that you’d want to wear for a night out with your girlfriends or to a concert. It’s not ‘occasion wear’ — nothing too dressy.”

Some of the brands available at Bay Club are Sea New York, Agolde, Oliphant, and so much more.

The jewelry offered by Bay Club are made by artisans with whom Rawles has become acquainted during her time in the fashion industry. The store has a limited selection of footwear, just sneakers and sandals to start with, but it’s be “a curated assortment,” Rawles said.

Rawles’ background brings instant credibility to Bay Club: She studied fashion merchandising at University of Georgia and University of Alabama before enrolling at the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design, where she majored in fashion design.

After finishing school, she landed a job with an Atlanta-based company, where she designed handbags and jewelry. Before joining Spanx 10 years ago, she helped a friend launch a children’s clothing company.

At Spanx, “I did all of the color and trend forecasting for the company,” Rawles said. “So, I was more on the creative side. I created all the colors for Spanx, the company’s color palettes and seasonal trend forecasting, working years in advance of the current season. I also created all of Spanx’s prints and mood boards, the aspirational and inspirational images that focused on targeting customers.”

“It was exciting to see my ideas come to life in final merchandise on sales racks throughout the world. Now, I have literally translated everything I learned while working at Spanx into my vision for Bay Club.”

Rawles is a recent transplant from Atlanta to St. Pete, having left her job with Spanx in March, but she has ties to the area. Her father retired to the Sunshine City and she and her husband were married here and have two young boys.

For more information, updates, and future online sales, follow Bay Club on Instagram and Facebook.