garMINT by Kim boutique was conceived through a love affair with a shopaholic & a former retail employee. That excessive combination, coupled with the teenage dream that owner Kimberly never let go of, birthed the fashion fantasy that became garMINT.

As a child, Kim was always getting in trouble at school for her lack of attention, that attention being directed to the clothes she wore. Growing up with ADHD was a blessing and a curse for Kim- she was reprimanded constantly as a chatty kid & a daydreamer, but only to let her imagination & creativity run free. The clothes she wore became a form of "dress up" for her, allowing her to pretend & play up to the "character" her outfit was bringing out.  Kimberly's two biggest female figures in her life were and still are her mother & grandmother - and both are style icons. They loved to dress Kim up in everything from berets to patent leather boots, to oversized bows & overalls. Style was a way to express themselves, and it catapulted Kim into love with fashion.

Senior year of high school, Kim’s entrepreneurship class inspired her long-dreamt boutique business. Aspirations of a lovely brick-and-mortar clothing store that offered more than just clothes was always part of her plan. An elaborate dream, but a dream, not so close a reach. She knew she would have to start somewhere to one day attain her goal, so she put it on the back burner of her mind in the interim.

Always hard working, Kimberly started off in retail as a sales associate working for a world-famous denim brand at the Mall at Short Hills. Specializing in upscale blue jeans & clothing for both men and women gave her a competitive edge, soon being promoted to a stylist. In between navigating college applications and cheerleading practice, Kimberly loved spending every penny of her hard-earned minimum wage on the brand’s high-end clothing using her employee discount. Having this responsibility was exciting for her, and this job came to carry her into her college years. Every weekend from freshman to junior year, Kim came home from school where she majored in Fashion Design, so that she could stay a part-time retail employee. She proved to be a reliable & fashion-forward employee, with customers & managers frequently requesting to work with her. Long hours of working retail paid off; she had the opportunity to visually merchandise window displays, work early 4AM floor sets, & style celebrity clients.

During her undergrad, Kimberly participated in the University fashion shows. These shows sprouted her first business in which she made custom denim shorts, jackets & vests. She had quite the following and it gave her first entrepreneurial taste she had been craving. But she still didn’t have enough knowledge or financial experience.

By summer of her junior year, she scored an internship with a reputable bridal & evening wear designer. As a design/product development intern, Kim received hands-on experience with garment construction and quality control. As her internship was set to wrap up a year later, she was offered a bridal consultant position. She had outgrown traditional retail & was ready to move into the next phase of her career – and onto the big city. A big believer in employer/employee relationships, she always left amicably from every company, with a ‘welcome back whenever’ goodbye to see her out.

Being a bridal consultant also offered Kimberly energetic learning within the bridal industry. Eventually, she was promoted to design/product development assistant. With her ‘big girl’ career launched, she graduated already a fully employed fashion professional from Montclair State University with a major in Fashion Studies.

Roaming the streets of the big apple was intoxicating – the excitement, the music, the hustle & bustle – even the yelling and screaming of the all-too loud New Yorkers (and tourists). It wasn’t all just career advancements & polite coffee breaks; it was street smarts also. Kim continued working on the corporate side of fashion in various roles, eventually trying her hand as a colorist with a keen eye for hues and tones, and eventually as a product development specialist focusing on garment trims.

Kimberly always missed the social & physically rewarding aspect of retail. As an avid boutique shopper, she knew the brands she loved and the value in these small-business gems when it came to finding unique pieces.

By the time the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic hit, many companies furloughed their employees. Kimberly was no exception. Although a short-lived hiatus, it was enough time for her to realize it was time to do what she loved. She was ready, whether she thought so or not.

She had already started saving for a business of her own, and thought to herself, “Why not now?”. With her dream ready to move, and the enthusiasm of her family & friends, garMINT by Kim officially launched in March of 2021.

Being able to do what she loves, Kimberly wants nothing more than to deliver endlessly unique styles to girls she sees herself in, and women she admires & connects with. garMINT is a testament to all women who continue to dream and build those dreams to fruition.