California Meets Texas

What’s in a name? Esther Penn, the treasured Fort Worth boutique with a brand new storefront in Knox-Henderson, derives its moniker from the streets its co-owners grew up on: Alyson Johnson on Esther Street in California, and Kacey Cargile on Penn Oak in Arlington.

The boutique’s offerings are a cool fusion of Johnson’s California roots and Cargile’s Texas style — think minimalist investment staples and easy-to-wear, on-trend pieces, all with a boho-chic vibe. (OneTeaspoon, Tiger Mist and Free People are just a few brands that fill the racks, in addition to accessories and shoes.)

Both girls, who met in Cowtown after graduating from the University of Texas, agree the store is an extension of their own closets and styles, but they also want it to reflect the people in their lives and their customers. “We try to make it really personal,” Cargile says. “It’s for the everyday girl. We think about what we wear, what our friends wear and what people on the street wear.”

Although they have no immediate plans to continue expanding their brand, the girls aren’t ruling out the idea, with Johnson’s friends in California already begging her to open a location closer to them. “Maybe one day,” she says. “You never know!”

Esther Penn, 2802 N. Henderson Ave., 214.370.9463.