On a Whim

WHO DOESN’T REMEMBER Cindy Reich’s stylish fashion boutique Wink? Reich closed up her beloved shop in 2008 to focus on family, but during its prime Wink was renowned for introducing such emerging designers to Houston as Nanette Lepore, Alice & Olivia and Rebecca Taylor, all of whom are boldface names on the floors of Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom these days. Now she’s back with a new shop, Whim (3636 W. Alabama St., Ste. 160, shopwhimhouston.com).


And while the lines are different, her knack for finding stylish looks that no one else knows about returns. Think lots of day dresses, great tops and timeless pieces for the office from Jason Wu’s newly launched contemporary line Grey, plus perfectly cut bohemian pieces from the recently resurfaced dress designer Tracy Feith — and exclusive to Whim, cult fashion favorite Jenni Kayne’s relaxed line of California cool staples.

Business+Innovation
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

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THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S Charity gala is always anticipated, thanks to the big-deal musical acts brought in to entertain; this year it was Chicago. But the headliners this year were the generous donors, who seemed to surprise even event organizer with their largesse, with a total till of $6.2 million, a record.

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