Whatever Lola wants, she gets at new Dunwoody boutique

In the morass of retail stretching across Dunwoody, there is scarcely a big-box store that is not represented.

When women's clothing is the object of desire, the options seem endless.

But the customer seeking a more personal experience and more edited selection has to search harder for what she wants.

She gets it at Lola's, a three-year-old boutique that recently relocated from Alpharetta to Dunwoody Village. "There are not a lot of options for women around here aside from the mall," said owner Stephanie Falzone. "I grew up in the area, so it's like coming back home."

Ten years ago, before Falzone left to attend school in Athens, Perimeter Mall was it, she said. She recalled that for her junior prom, it was particularly challenging to find something unique. "Everyone went to BCBG then," she said. "I actually waited until the last minute to see what my friends had so I could get something different."

But Falzone believes people are getting tired of the same stuff. "Atlanta is mall driven but people are tired of that and they want something new. If you want to go shop and spend money, you want something that is special," she said.

Falzone handpicks all of the merchandise at Lola's, attending shows with her husband and mother specifically to get input from a man and a woman with a more seasoned perspective. "I do a lot of research ahead of time to see who is selling what. We don’t want to run into competition with other boutiques," she said.

In addition, her experience as a native daughter of Dunwoody has served her well when it comes to meeting the needs of her customers, women she describes as "moms on the go." "It's the mom who needs something she can wear with the kids and then make a quick change and be ready to go out for the evening," Falzone said.

The foundation of the look begins with the selection of denim from Lucky Brand, Joe's Jeans and Genetic Denim in the $200 range. But the pièce de résistance is fun tops for evening, said Falzone, noting that these are the most requested items in her store.

The current selection includes studded plaid shirts from Sanctuary that can only be described as grunge rocker chic. There are also James Perse tees and tops, new to the store, but standard for women invested in a look of casual chic. Other brands include Plastic Island and Mac and Jac, while a collection of knits from Topin round out the options for fall.

No woman on-the-go can do without accessories and Lola's offers everything from belts to handbags. Jewelry collections include those from locals Rhonda Smith and Ali & Bird. Studded handbags start at $80, while scarves and clutches come in at $30.

"Customers are a lot more conscious of price nowadays and you definitely have to conform to that ," said Falzone, adding that she tries to keep most price points under $100.