TRAVERSE CITY — A Cadillac-based fashion retailer is expanding to Traverse City, with plans to open a new Serendipity store downtown.
The business announced the upcoming opening in an Oct. 14 Facebook post, adding that it is hiring for several positions to support the expansion, with the grand opening tentatively planned for Nov. 1.
Open roles currently include a team lead and floor employees.
Owner and team member Michele Bosscher said her daughter was a part of discovering the ideal new location in town.
“We have a location in Big Rapids that’s been there for eight years and the Cadillac location has been here 11 years,” Bosscher said. “Any location we have seen, we just always felt like it really had to be about location, location, location in Traverse. Randomly a couple of weeks ago, my daughter and I were driving through downtown to hit a breakfast spot and saw the new lease listing for a building there. We had both said right away, it was like we could not have asked for a better location.”
Serendipity, a Cadillac-based clothing, gift, and accessory store, was founded by an entrepreneur who turned a lifelong passion for retail and everyday joy into a full-time business.
The store was born from what the owner described as “an extreme passion for everyday things that make women smile,” offering a wide range of items from clothing and candles to cards and curated gifts.
Bosscher said, though the timing isn’t perfect for opening a new location, the team is dedicated to the plans and the dream for the new space.
“We are also expanding our Cadillac store that will be opening at the beginning of November,” Bopsscher said. “Then, of course, with having to deal with the January, February, March times of year anywhere is kind of dead. We knew if we were able to have our letter of intent approved and accepted, we would have to get on it because you can’t really afford to open in Traverse or anywhere and miss the prime fourth quarter for shoppers. Our letter of intent was accepted, and so we have been just crunching and busting, trying to get enough products to come in, and the store revamped and all that.”
At the heart of Serendipity’s philosophy is the Danish concept of hygge—a word that loosely translates to “the art of coziness.” The brand embraces the idea of slowing down and appreciating the simple, comforting moments in life, whether it’s coffee with a friend or a quiet evening at home.
Bosscher said customers will be able to expect the same affordable, quality products with new items regularly at the location.
Serendipity’s mission is to help people “feel confident and comfortable in every outfit” while celebrating community and timeless style.
“The vision is the same as Serendipity all the way around,” she said. “It’s just a matter of what we believe in with customer service, and the rest will come. We do look high and low and travel to the bigger markets to try to stay unique and different. Even if sometimes you always end up carrying similar products.
“Our tagline is ‘things we love,’ and that’s kind of what we look for. What is it that we love? What is it — the smells, the senses, the feelings, the heart — touching things is what we focus on with the customer service. Cadillac is always home base, always will be. But we thought that Traverse City would be a nice addition to open up in that area as well.”
Applicants are encouraged to email resumes to serendipity.cadillac@gmail.com or apply in person at Serendipity’s existing Cadillac or Big Rapids locations.
In the post, the company described the move as an exciting opportunity to grow its team and share its fashion-forward retail experience with a new community.
For more information on Serendipity and its locations, click here.