Miostile clothing shop builds on Web success

Miostile has closed its brick-and-mortar boutique on King Street and moved to cyberspace.

Store owner Guilds Bennett Huttosays the upscale women's clothing shop has had such success with Internet sales that she moved the store's inventory to an Edisto Island warehouse, where she will continue to sell items online at her miostile.com.

Miostile — "my style" in Italian — launched its Web site in 2005, and Hutto says it prospered immediately. She began shipping clothes to celebrity clients in Hollywood just weeks after the site went up.

"On any given day, we post parcels to Singapore, Spain and Australia," Hutto said. "The far-flung places to which we send Miostile fashions never cease to amaze us."

On the moon

This weekend will mark the so-called soft opening of Half Moon Outfitter's third retail location in the Charleston area, in South Windermere Shopping Center. The store will follow up with a more formal opening Nov. 19.

According to company founder and president Beezer Molten, the newly renovated storefront was designed to be as easy on the environment as possible by incorporating contaminant-free paints, insulated store-front glass and reharvested building materials. The 11,000-square-foot store will feature an indoor climbing wall. It's been a notable year for the Charleston-based supplier of outdoor recreational clothing and other wares, having opened three new stores and celebrated its 15th year of business.

Retail radar

-- Maryann and Dennis Donovan have opened Donovan's Custom Framing in Summerville, at 428-C Old Trolley Road.

-- Dunkin' Donuts is now catering directly to Goose Creek residents. The chain recently opened its 11th area location at 216 St. James Ave.

-- All is Well, a holistic spa-inspired dog grooming center and pet retail store, opened a location at 1150 Hungryneck Blvd. in Mount Pleasant.

-- Designer David Meister, who has a line of dresses at Saks Fifth Avenue, will visit the chain's downtown store at 211 King St. today. Meister has outfitted, among other celebrities, Sarah Palin impersonator Tina Fey of "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live" fame. He will be on hand at the Charleston Saks from 2-8 p.m.

Reach Bridget Herman at 937-5582 or bherman@postandcourier.com.