Roll out the red carpet for this Witherspoon House tenant

Fashion boutique Rouge to move to site fronting borough’s new plaza

By: Jennifer Potash
   Many businesses might abhor the color red, but Rouge, the downtown boutique catering to fashionistas of all ages, revels in it.
   Rouge, the three-year-old upscale clothing and cosmetics boutique at 16½ Witherspoon St., plans to move to larger digs in the new Witherspoon House in mid-March.
   The soon-to-be completed five-story building is located next to the Princeton Public Library and municipal Spring Street parking garage.
   Joining Rouge on the ground floor will be the Witherspoon Grill, owned by Jack Morrison of the Blue Point Grill and Nassau Seafood Market. The upper floors will have apartments.
   "It’s three times the space I have now," said Paige Peterson, the owner of Rouge. "(The current space) is fun but it’s like being in Chinatown as we’re so mashed in. I’m looking forward to a big store."
   More space will allow Rouge to expand its offering of clothing and add housewares, Ms. Petersen said. What won’t change, she said, is the fun and beach-inspired vibe that permeates Rouge.
   The store carries classic lines of cosmetics and clothing, such as colorful Jack Rogers sandals made famous by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy as well as items that appeal to trend-loving shoppers like Cargo clothing.
   If a lip gloss or a perfume graces the well-tanned body of the latest Hollywood "It Girl," then Rouge is the likely place to look for the products. Ms. Petersen said she seeks the hottest skin care and beauty products and clothing before the masses catch on.
   Once upon a time, such clothing could be found only in hip New York City boutiques, but Ms. Petersen aims to provide these styles at Rouge.
   Ms. Peterson and her store have been featured in national shopping and lifestyle publications such as Lucky and In Style magazines.
   Her unique product lines have attracted a loyal local clientele as well as more far-flung customers from Maryland to New York. In its short time on Witherspoon Street, Rouge has evolved from an apothecary and lingerie shop to focusing more on clothing — trendy T-shirts, yoga pants, dresses, bathing suits and more.
   Her clientele seemed to demand more clothing options.
   "The women of Princeton are constantly evolving and changing," she said.
   Part of the decision to change her product line and relocate was competitive. Blue Mercury, a high-end cosmetics regional chain that also offers spa services, moved into Palmer Square in 2003. Some of Ms. Petersen’s cosmetic suppliers opted to go with Blue Mercury instead, she said.
   Despite several boutiques that all seem to cater to a similar population of shoppers — Zoe, Honey West and Smith Brothers — Ms. Petersen said the shopping pool is deep enough to accommodate all the boutiques.
   "When another store opens up I do think, oh no, competition," she said. "But we’re all very different."
   Zoe has a lot of high-end fashion while Honey West goes for a younger look, Ms. Petersen said.
   "And when a new store opens, I also get new customers who are coming to town for the first time," she said.
   For the most part, Ms. Petersen and her fellow boutique owners are supportive of each other. If one store has a clothing or cosmetics line, the other boutiques do not pursue the same supplier.
   An avid shopper who loves to seek out the most au courant fashion and beauty products, Ms. Petersen saw having her own boutique as the ultimate fulfillment of that passion. "I’ve always loved to shop," she said.
   A native Californian, Ms. Petersen moved to Princeton about 14 years ago and was a stay-at-home mom for her daughter and son.
   Her 13-year-old son has autism and attends Eden Institute in West Windsor while her 16-year-old daughter now attends a preparatory school but previously attended Princeton Regional Schools.
   "I think Princeton is such a great community," she said. "It’s so close-knit."