Barbie's Boutique began with a dream, grew into a one-stop shop for all

At first, Erika Alarcon didn’t understand the question her daughter Barbara Alarcon, then 3 years old, asked as the two played a game of dress-up with dolls.

Barbara Alarcon wanted to know when her mother was going to open a boutique, but Erika Alarcon was not familiar with the term. 

At the time she came to the U.S. from Mexico 23 years ago, Erika Alarcon didn't speak any English and was working as a housecleaner. 

Her situation began to change in 2014 when she drove past an empty storefront and her daughter's question came to mind. The site became the first location of Barbie's Boutique, a store named for her daughter, which she calls a one-stop shop for different fashion needs.

Several years later, on June 30, 2023, Alarcon held the grand opening of a new store, an appointment-only location at Midtown Plaza, which also houses the fine dining restaurant Michael's on East. 

A leap of faith

At the time Alarcon opened the original store, she was taking a significant gamble. 

Not only did she have no experience running a business, she also didn't have time to implement a proper business plan, choosing to rent the space because she was unsure she could find another that didn't require a five-year lease. 

What she did bring was a love of weddings and celebrations, having volunteered at the parties of many friends, and alongside that, a desire to make a difference.

Alarcon said while shopping for dresses in the U.S., she was often treated poorly due to salespeople believing she couldn't afford the items since she was Latina. 

Her store, she decided, would be specifically for the Latino community, and as a result she adorned the storefront with dresses of the bright colors common in her culture. If people aren’t drawn in by the display on their first pass by, it's only a matter of time before many eventually find themselves venturing inside.

Little by little, Alarcon's clientele grew, evolving from primarily Latino to 80% non-Latino. 

“I want to show them what I learned, and what I can do,” she said. 

A long road

After she came to the U.S. with her husband Israel Alarcon, whose family lives in the country, the adjustment to cleaning homes was "very hard," she said. She'd had to leave behind her former job as an accountant for a kindergarten.

It was necessary to support her three boys and one girl, the oldest of whom, 27-year-old Carlos Alarcon and 25-year-old Ian Alarcon, attended at that time Pineview Elementary, a school for gifted children. She also has two other boys, 23-year-old Damian Alarcon and 9-year-old William Sanchez.

Then the family dealt with the 2007-2008 financial crisis, which resulted in them moving to a new home for a time, while Erika Alarcon made and sold chocolate lollipops. At that time, she was pregnant with Barbara Alarcon, who is now 13.

And even during the initial years of the boutique’s establishment, she still worked as a cleaner.

“Every day, I found it more difficult,” she said. “I just worked, worked and worked.”

And then there was the language barrier to overcome.

When starting the business, she didn’t take out any loans; she hadn’t understood she was eligible to do so. She soon realized there was more to running a business in Sarasota than in her former home of Mexico, with a greater need for marketing and advertising in order to stay competitive. All that material needed to be written in English. 

The first call Alarcon received at the store was in English, and came from a woman seeking olive-colored cummerbunds for a tuxedo. Alarcon had to find out what the term meant, but after she did so, she began an extensive search, finding a company, Jim’s Formal Wear, that could make a band in that color.

Then, she realized she had the tools to meet the needs of customers.

“I learned I can resolve things, and little by little, I prepare more,” she said.

Photo by Ian Swaby

She took the GED in order to learn how to communicate and help her children with their homework. She said her children helped her with the business as well, guiding her in many aspects. 

When she founded the business, Alarcon began attending networking events, although she found it difficult to connect with others due to her limited English. 

“When you don’t know it, it’s very difficult to integrate,” she said. 

Yet as she continued attending such events, she gained confidence and skill, gradually approaching others more frequently and becoming a part of the community. 

For a time, she also operated a group called Imaginaccion, which offered networking opportunities for others operating a business in the Latin American community.

A store for many needs

When Alarcon opened the store, she sold one version each of a wedding gown, formal gown and quinceañera dress.

Today, she calls Barbie’s Boutique a one-stop shop for many different needs including color, style and size. She is also keen on personalization, removing or adding parts to items for an additional fee.

There are even supplementing items, like shoes and jewelry, and by offering recommendations of decorators or caterers she’s met, or her decorating service Cheers for the Host, she brings together a vision of a wedding or gathering.

Alarcon sources her items from markets across the country, but individuals in Mexico help sew and cut the clothing, allowing her to support her home country and also set aside time to run the business.

Alarcon said the highlight of it all is being able to boost confidence.

“When I can see the smile on someone, when someone comes in and says look at me, I’m fat, or I’m this, or I’m that, and I can change that emotion, I feel very grateful about that,” she said. 

Photo by Ian Swaby

She has even started a free program called Quinceañera Academy to help girls learn how to walk in heels, dance, apply their own makeup, exercise good manners, and interact with other girls. 

“They feel like it’s me, and my party,” she said. “Basically, they learn how to love being them.”

Even as she moves forward, she’s still mastering English, something she said is important for doing her best work.

“I’m improving every day in English,” she said. “But my clients are so nice. They know I’m Latina, and they are patient with me when they don’t understand, and when they try to communicate with me, they make it easier.”

Despite all of her hard work, she said she doesn't have time to wonder at how far she has come.

“I don’t have time to think,” she said. “I don’t notice where I am.”

The new location at Midtown Plaza feels like a brand-new store, she said, which was why it was important to host a grand opening for the site that boasts features including dressing rooms, meeting rooms for clients and a photography studio. 

During the grand opening, visitors said they were excited for the store's offerings and for Alarcon's future.

“I’m a dress junkie, so I could just dive in here and go swimming all day long ...” said an attendee, Barbie Vasile, who complimented the store on the range of sizes available. "Normal people can try these on."

"Erika is one of the people you get so inspired by," said grand opening attendee Gianna Kramer. "Because of what she offers to the community and what she gives in order to help others."