The Lady Behind Baanou, a Fabulous New(ish) Store in Houston

Nestled at the bend on S. Shepherd (1309 S. Shepherd to be exact) near the heart of River Oaks sits Baanou, a 4 month old store that from the outside resembles a townhome you might find in London. Owner Maryam Afshari wanted to create a space that would make her customers want to come in and stay a while, and she did just that. It’s a gorgeous spot, and rumor has it, sometimes dancing takes place while shopping. My kind of store!

Julie Weinstein: How would you describe Baanou?

Maryam Afshari: When I initially thought of opening a boutique, it was all about the energy I wanted to create. I envisioned a comfortable home-like environment where my customers were surrounded by beauty and art.  After months of searching for the perfect spot, I found an old home and completely renovated it to create the space I had dreamed of.  Baanou is a place where women come and stay for hours.  We drink wine, try on clothes, dance around listening to music and converse about a variety of topics.   We have curated a variety of designers and price points to make sure everyone finds something they love.  With an appreciation for customer service, our customers become our friends and tend to come back often to check out our new shipments or get that dress they’ve been thinking about since their last visit. Ann, my store director, is always busy scouting new designers not carried anywhere else in Houston to bring to Baanou.

JW: Where did the name ‘Baanou’ come from?

MA: “Maryam Baanou” is my nickname amongst those who have known me since childhood.  It means Lady in Farsi but is a term so rarely used these days most Persians don’t get the connection at first.

JW: How would you describe your personal style?

MA: Personally, my style is all over the place, depending on my mood.  I love to feel feminine and sexy, yet maintain a sophisticated and timeless look.  I tend to stay away from trends that don’t highlight my best features, and I have way more fun when I’m comfortable.  I’ve always been a hippie at heart and it comes out often in my fashion choices.  I love a good backless maxi or an off-the-shoulder top by Stone Cold Fox, so comfortable yet with so much sex appeal.

JW: Who are your favorite designers?

MA: Chanel is and will probably always be my favorite! Roksanda Ilincic, Lover the Label, Stone Cold Fox, Zimmermann, Suno… the list goes on and on.. Before I opened the store, I wore a lot of Dolce and Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli as well.   

JW: What would you say your favorite designers/brands are that Baanou carries?

MA: I love all the designers carried at Baanou, each one for a different reason.  I sell Amir Taghi Atelier, my baby cousin’s designs, and every time someone buys one of his pieces, I text him and tell him how proud I am of him.  Roksanda Ilincic and Honor, two of our high-end designers, are perfect when you’re looking for something special while other more contemporary lines like 12th Street by Cynthia Vincent, Zimmerman, Cut25, Line and Dot, Thvm Denim etc are perfect for every day looks. I am really excited about the long list of new designers arriving for Fall and Resort including: Cameo, Finders Keepers, Keepsake, Stone Cold Fox, Love the Label, Saylor, Elliat, Myne, Solace London, and a slew of others.   

JW: What were you doing before you opened Baanou?

MA: I was an accountant living in Los Angeles for 7 years before I decided to move back home and open Baanou.  I spent the majority of my time at KPMG, specializing in Exempt Organization Tax working on clients such as The J. Paul Getty Trust and The Armand Hammer Museum. Before getting into tax, I was an auditor and worked on clients such as Occidental Petroleum and GE.  I actually really enjoyed working at KPMG and am still close with my old boss and colleagues.  

JW: What has been the most rewarding experience since opening Baanou?

MA: EVERYTHING is rewarding about following your dreams.  I wake up every day feeling blessed to be going to a place I created with my vision and hard work.  Seeing my hard work come to fruition is very rewarding in it of itself, and then seeing girls wearing clothes that I picked out is on another level.  

JW: And the most challenging? 

MA: Summertime is not the best time to open a boutique.  I was initially supposed to open in the Spring, but after dealing with a few real estate set-backs, I had no choice but to open my doors in June.  And then there is the street construction on S. Shepherd that has me concerned.  I am on the phone with city officials and project managers daily to find a way to help the traffic.  In general, owning a business is not easy, something pops up every day that must be dealt with.  

JW: What has been your favorite thing about owning a store?

MA: I am so happy I opened Baanou as there are so many things I love about owning my own store:  My favorite thing is being able to bring designers that I love to the Houston marketplace.  It’s so fun showcasing emerging designers I believe in.  Other than that, I love being able to give back to the community.  Most of our marketing dollars go towards hosting events at Baanou in support of different local charities where we offer a percentage of sales to the cause.  Making new friends has to be one of my other favorite things about owning a store.  I meet amazing women every day and I’m blown away by all the support I get from other female business owners.  

JW: Who are your favorite people to follow on Instagram?

MA: Miroslava Duma @miraduma, Kristina Bazan @kristina_bazan, Joyann King @joyann_bazaar, Elyse Walker @elysewalker, Natalie Joos @jxxsy, Cara Delevingne @caradelevingne, Lauren Santo Domingo @thelsd, and all my customers to help me understand their style

JW: Anything else you’d like our readers to know?

MA: Our Ecommerce site is about to launch, as well as our membership program, where we work with women who have busy social calendars and no time to shop to style them perfectly for their events.  As a member, you get first dibs on new arrivals and will get a discount depending on how much you will be shopping each month. 

Owner Maryam Afshari

Baanou is located at 1309 S. Shepherd (713.505.1347). Visit their website HERE. Follow Baanou on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. 

P.S. There is going to be a Charmed Circle trunk show at Baanou coming up next month that we are co-hosting. Stay tuned for more info!