Much-loved Nubian Square boutique set to close at end of month

The shared mission of providing pride and beauty to the Black community led the Hardaway family to open Final Touch Boutique in Nubian Square in 2005.

It was president and co-owner Catherine Hardaway’s idea to open the boutique in service of the Black community. Known for their hospitality and personalized customer service, the family has worked to provide quality service and “access to affordable classy attire.”

Co-owner Danny Hardaway said he was adamant about keeping the store in the Black community.

“A lot of people come to us and ask us why we have the store down [in] Nubian Square; Dudley Square, which they used to call it. We keep saying, ‘Why not?’ We got educated. The first thing is in our culture, you get educated, you grab each other’s hand and try to guide each other in the right direction,” he said. “That’s what God teaches us, so that’s what we try to do: bring upscale fashion into our Black community. Why do we have to always go outside with our community to go get things?”

However, people will be faced with having to go outside the community, as the store is preparing to close on Thursday, April 30, due to rising costs.

In the 20 years of owning and operating the boutique, the Hardaway family kept it afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic and while mourning the loss of their two sons within two years of one another.

The Hardaways said what they will miss most about the store is the community patrons.

“We’re going to miss the people.

This has become a Black woman’s village, where the Black woman could come from after work. She’s got a date, her husband’s taking her out. She had a rough day… [or she’s going to] God’s house, the church. The church has been supporting us and the whole community. I mean, it’s just been unbelievable. We’re going to miss this. It hurts,” he said.

Co-owner Haris Hardaway reflected on the great relationships the family has built through the boutique over the past 20 years, from beginning on Morton Street in Mattapan, to Brockton Mall, to the Emerald Square Mall, to settling into their present location in 2015, 17 Warren St. in Nubian Square.

“A lot of people didn’t come into shop. They just came in to get loved on and in the process, they found something that made them feel beautiful and they purchased it.”

If you are looking to support the Final Touch Boutique, the Hardaways encourage community members to advocate to their local and state officials to help the store remain open.

The Hustle List also held a “community mobbing” on April 4, where community members gathered to support the business by purchasing their products.

Although the family is saddened about having to close the store, they are thankful to the many community members who have supported them over the past 20 years.

“We’ve tried to be that safe space [where community members] can come and talk to us or for us to just listen because… there’s so much uncertainty [in the world today] and they’re hurting in their own lives. This was the one place that they could show up, sit down, have a cup of tea… and just talk,” Haris said. “The fashion therapy that happens in here has been the thing that has kept people going when it’s not safe at home, or school or work. We forget what people survive on a daily basis, and here, that door opens it.”

ON THE WEB

Learn more at finaltouchwithclass.com