NOTO North

NOTO Boutique, a small boutique filled with flowy shirts, printed dresses, and more was a fixture during my time working for the library. Lauren Ward’s smiling face would greet me every time I popped by on a coffee run. Little does she know, her and Liz from Urban Eats were a part of the first few friends that I made during this stint in Akron (outside of coworkers and the music and arts scene).

Two weekends ago, Lauren opened her second shop, NOTO North. Natural light streamed in from the large storefront windows, a big change from the area where she’s tucked away in the small “mall” between two large corporations. People crowded the shop sipping wine, munching on croissants and browsing. Lauren with her endless energy and kind smile bounced from person to person greeting them.

When we had a minute to chat, I snapped this quick photo with the wrong lens. She told me how a person connected to the building gave her that clipping. Turns out the storefront was once a boutique in the distant past. Life has a way of coming full circle.

I ended up walking away with a beautiful cream dress with big arms, a slight deviation from my normal style, but beautiful nonetheless. If you have a chance, go check out NOTO North across from Luigi’s Pizza on the north side. It has a little something for everyone.