Queenie & Pearl Reigns to Remain

A chat with Lisa Banwell, owner of the small, female-owned business Queenie & Pearl in Minneapolis

By Grace Davis

Lisa Banwell, owner of small boutique Queenie & Pearl,  remains to be one of the most  consistently joyful, youthful, and bright souls I’ve ever met. I met Banwell two years ago, shortly after she opened her store, Queenie & Pearl, on 50th and Xerxes. Queenie & Pearl started as a single-floor shop filled with retail and hand-picked vintage pieces from Banwell herself. About a year later, Banwell bought the top floor of the building and expanded her vintage collection along with adding a vinyl collaboration with Solsta. Along with a creative studio, where the boutique has been able to do shoots and styling for their growing Instagram account and website. Walking into Queenie & Pearl feels like entering the ‘70s: bell bottoms, shag rugs, leather jackets galore—and you can usually expect to hear at least one Fleetwood Mac song while shopping. 

Recently, Queenie & Pearl celebrated their two-year anniversary. For Banwell and her team, this is a special accomplishment, considering that the past nine months have been a real test of perseverance, patience, and passion for everyone. All their hard work has paid off though—as of November 2020, Banwell is officially the owner of the building where Queenie & Pearl resides. 

In March, Banwell received a call from her lawyer who informed her that the building was for sale and was most likely going to be sold to a development group to build a condo complex. This was devastating news to Banwell and her team because they had poured their hearts and souls into the future of this store and created a strong relationship with the neighborhood. Banwell knew she couldn’t give up on her and her team’s dream, so she decided to tell her lawyer she wanted to purchase the building. Nine months and a tumultuous series of hoops to jump through later,  Queenie & Pearl have won the battle against gentrification, and officially own the building. When I asked Banwell if any moments in the past two years stood out to her, she told me, “It’s just crazy that two years ago we were only open three days a week, and I was so terrified to sign the lease. Now, two years later, I own the building, and we’re open every day except Monday ... I have a small, wonderful team and employees that makes me feel so grown up,” she added, laughing. 

With the future of COVID-19 still unknown, it’s hard to know how to set future goals for Queenie & Pearl. When I asked Banwell about what the future holds for Queenie & Pearl, she said, “So many things! I love technology, Instagram, and what that’s done for us. It’s always been a concern of mine that if we move in that direction that it feels authentic, that it feels like us, still friendly and positive and not just transactional. Obviously transactions are important, but that’s not what I'm doing this for.”

Banwell and Queenie & Pearl have come a long way, and it took a lot of hard work  to get where they are now. When I asked if she had any advice to anyone who has a dream like she did of starting such a big project, Banwell  said, “Obviously it’s great to listen to advice from other people, but I think that everyone has their perspective and dream, and they should bring that to the world because we already have a lot of other people's dreams. Stay as true as you can to what you want to do, and there will be compromises and you will have to change course. At the end of the day you just have to remember why in your heart you wanted to do it.”

Queenie & Pearl is a hopeful success story in these trying times, and it’s great to see that small, female-owned and operated businesses are still thriving. It hasn’t been easy for them, but they’ve done what they can and have stayed true to their values of relationships, connection, and positivity through it all. Remember to shop small and local, and check out @QueenieandPearl on Instagram for an inside look into what this wonderful team has to offer.