I’m certain that some people, maybe even many people, are skilled in the art of online shopping for clothing.  I imagine they order stuff, try it on and if it doesn’t fit, they just send it back, no big deal. Seems simple enough. But I have no patience for it. Choosing clothing is a complicated process for me because of the usual issues – nothing fits, blah, blah, blah – but I muddle through. It wasn’t until my youngest daughter, 13-year-old Flannery, hit her tweens that I discovered what appeared to be a missing link in the retail clothing industry – apparel for girls that made sense during the middle school years.  
 
For a recent Greater Wilmington Business Journal story, I interviewed a mom who has created a business out of that missing piece – Isa Roe Boutique. The store is named after owner Britany Rivera’s daughter, Isabel, and her friend, Monroe.  
 
Rivera plans to open the shop at Mayfaire Town Center in Wilmington in April, catering to young teens who otherwise have a hard time finding clothes that are both age-appropriate and something they actually want to wear.  
 
“They’ve outgrown the sparkles, the unicorns, the rainbows,” Rivera said. “They want to wear clothes that are a little bit older, but their bodies don’t necessarily fit in women’s clothes.”  
 
Interestingly, Rivera is opening a storefront after finding success in selling girls apparel online. To Rivera and other moms, including me, shopping for clothing IRL can be a fun way to connect with tweens and teens.  
 
And although other establishments exist in the area and online for middle school girls to buy clothes, Rivera expects her business to help change the number of options they have.  
 
This year’s WilmingtonBiz Magazine Commercial Real Estate issue is all about change, as real estate so frequently is. Features include a look at what the future might hold for Eagles Island and other parts of the west bank of the Cape Fear River in “The View Across the Way.” It’s a topic in the news lately as a developer plans a hotel there, while another riverfront property across from downtown Wilmington could also one day hold a hotel, apartments and condos.  
 
The issue also explores how office space has changed for some tech companies that have recently taken up residence in downtown Wilmington in “Office Space”.  
 
Profiles on Wilmington developers Mariana Molina and Landon Zimmer provide insight into the people who are transforming parts of the city.  
 
As for me, any transformation I make to my wardrobe will have to wait until well after this magazine goes to press. For now, I’ll take inspiration from Flannery and her sibling, 15-year-old Parker – who recently sported artfully ripped tights, shorts, a brightly colored pop culture T-shirt, handmade beaded jewelry and iridescent Doc Martens boots – because they always look cool.