When Kelli Hull opens Monkee's of Fair Oaks Ranch on August 20, 2026, in the Lemon Creek Ranch development, she will fill a gap she knows well: contemporary designer clothing without a 45-minute drive into San Antonio. The key to making that possible, she says, is the collective buying power of the Monkee's franchise, a North Carolina-based network of locally owned women's boutiques.
"Because we're a franchise, the buying power that the collective franchisees have is fairly significant," Hull said. "It's amazing that someone like myself - my store's not even open yet - was able to walk into the Farm Rio showroom in Manhattan and buy for 2027. Without that buying power, none of this would be possible."
Hull recently returned from New York City, where she sat down with some of the largest contemporary brands in the country to build the store's opening and forward assortments. Monkee's of Fair Oaks Ranch is store #8 in Texas and #70 nationwide, placing Hull early in a growing brand while giving her access to the group's full designer roster from day one.
The store is built so there is "something for everybody," Hull said. The brand list includes Paige denim and FRAME anchoring the contemporary denim and ready-to-wear offering, Aviator Nation for brightly colored sweats and swimwear, and dresses from names like Milly, Shoshanna, and Marie Oliver. Krewe, Oncept, perfectwhitetee and Pistola provide accessories and apparel, joined by Texas jeweler Christina Greene.
"If you want to wear a basic top, a pair of denim and sneakers during the day, but then you have an event in the evening and you need to put on a cocktail dress, we're your one-stop shop to do all of that," Hull said.
Alongside recognizable labels, the boutique will carry emerging designers at a wide range of price points. "You're probably going to come in for Paige, which is kind of a cult classic," Hull said. "But I have a feeling you're going to discover other brands as well that you've never heard of - and I think you're going to love them just as much."
That curation is hands-on. Recently, a sales rep drove down from Dallas and rolled racks of clothing into Hull's home to preview merchandise arriving for late-fall holiday and into January 2027. "We just started rolling racks of clothes and I started picking pieces out for the future," Hull said. "It was personal shopping."
Data also plays a role in the buying process. "In fashion, we get emotional about it - I have this feeling, and it's so beautiful, and I love it, and maybe the data doesn't support that," Hull said. "To have a buyer say, 'That's good - let's tiptoe into the water on this brand, make some safe bets, and if everybody loves it, we can get more,' has been phenomenal."
The result, she says, is an assortment that is broad enough to serve women of all ages yet curated enough to feel personal - the difference between Monkee's and the limited contemporary options that exist in the area today. The grand opening is set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026, in the Lemon Creek Ranch development near Fair Oaks Ranch and Boerne. Customers can follow along on Instagram at @monkeesoffairoaks for the latest brands and arrivals, with additional updates on Facebook and TikTok. The store's website, monkeesoffairoaks.com, launches about 30 days ahead of opening, with online shopping planned for 2027.
