Marem opened up its new store on Nov. 1 in the Mall of Louisiana, just in time for the holiday season. 

Marem is a boutique off of Burbank Drive that carries clothes for women to serve their community. 

Founders Emily and Marlo Rodrigue started the original store in July 2020. In the middle of the pandemic, the two marketing majors decided to “just do it” and launch an online store. 

The “it” refers to a dream the sisters shared: “opening a clothing store when we are 40 with other jobs and kids,” Emily said. 

This dream became reality long before the sisters turned 40. The first storefront opened in September 2022. Emily Rodrigue said they initially had no intentions of expanding past their online store, but after their pop-up shops’ success, they started searching for the perfect place. 

“The journey was extremely difficult, and many times we were not taken seriously,” Marlo Rodrigue said. 

After three weeks of renovations, they opened during football season. Marlo said that if it weren’t for the help of family and friends, they wouldn’t be where they are today. 

“There is so much paperwork and legal things that go into owning a business that can be extremely intimidating,” Marlo Rodrigue said. “We are so lucky to have an incredible support system of people that helped us along the way. 

Emily Rodrigue said winters tend to be more challenging because their main customer demographic leaves for school breaks. She said this is where the idea of “Merry Little Marem” came from. 

The new store in the Mall of Louisiana is designed to cater to a busy area during the holiday season. The sisters thought of the idea just one month before the store’s Nov. 1 opening.  

They found the perfect space with the right size, fixtures, table and even a pink wall. Emily Rodrigue said the space being practically ready was a sign that it was meant to be. 

“Once we got the keys, we only had about a week to flip and prepare the store for opening,” Emily Rodrigue said. 

Marlo Rodrigue said by shopping at Marem, customers are helping two local LSU graduates, supporting the college students they hire and reinvesting into the community. 

“Just know how much it means to us every single time we see a sale made, a photo of our customers wearing our clothes, or someone walking out of our store feeling happy and confident,” Marlo Rodrigue said. 

The two said they always have new ideas up their sleeves, many in the works now. Currently, they are just focused on getting college girls cute and affordable clothing for any occasion. 

“It had many ups and downs, a lot of busy days and even more slower days,” Marlo Rodrigue said, “But overall, it was the best decision we made.”