Retiring Roxy Carmichael owner hopes buyer will come forward to keep the Rockford retailer alive

September 3, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Business/development, Featured, News, 815 News, Rock River Current, Rockford, Trending, Business

Christine LaMantia, the owner of Roxy Carmichael, plans to sell or close the business by the end of September. She’s pictured Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, inside the store at the Edgebrook shopping center in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app

ROCKFORD — The weekend after Christine LaMantia announced her plans to retire, Roxy Carmichael was bustling with business.

“We’ve had record sales since Friday. It’s sad that it would be a closing sale that brings people out,” LaMantia said in an interview last Tuesday. “It’s been just so vibrant since Friday — Friday, Saturday, Monday and today it’s been nonstop.”

LaMantia hopes the burst of attention provides momentum for her effort to sell the business to someone who wants to keep the brand alive.

The locally owned fashion retailer has been in business for 18 years, initially at 310 N. Alpine Road and for the past two years at 1639 N. Alpine Road, suite 1617A, in the Edgebrook shopping center.

“It’s iconic. It’s been around since 2007. Maybe somebody needs to come in and breathe new life into it,” LaMantia said. “I believe something like that is going to happen. I truly believe it, because it’s such a great place.”

She expects to continue operations through the end of the month before closing, unless a buyer comes forward first. Roxy Carmichael has now started a closing sale as LaMantia looks to liquidate her inventory.

Roxy Carmichael was founded in 2007 by sisters Debbie Aiello and Katherine Mitchel. The goal was to give local shoppers a boutique that provided unique merchandise that inspired women to find their own look. LaMantia took over the company in 2018 and carried on that vision, learning the tastes of her customers in order to keep the store stocked with the colorful styles they wear. She moved the business to Edgebrook in summer 2023.

“I’m always promoting people to move into Edgebrook, and when Christine came it was just such a great partnership and friendship that we had,” said Brandi Jones, who has run B Jones boutique at Edgebrook for 22 years. “She’s really going to be missed here at Edgebrook.”

Jones said Roxy Carmichael complemented her business to help create a shopping experience at Edgebrook. She said she hopes the store’s closure is a sign to people about the need to shop local.

LaMantia said the decision to sell or close was a combination of factors including the changing economy, upcoming staffing issues during the busy winter season, and supply chain issues with some of their suppliers. She said there’s also been a change in habits, with more people choosing exercise clothes or loungewear rather than a high-styled look for a night out at a show or party.

“There’s been a shift,” LaMantia said. “We could kind of see it coming for awhile, but we really didn’t think it was going to affect us the way that it did.”

She said there has also been a recent economic shift. She believes we’re entering a recession.

“People are just afraid to spend money, I believe,” LaMantia said.

She said she’ll miss seeing the customers she’s gotten to know over the years.

“The customers who have become friends and friends who have become customers. There’s so many people and so much support, that’s the part I’ll miss the most,” she said. “That’s the part that keeps it fun.”

LaMantia said she has put feelers out to potential buyers. She hopes someone wants to reinvigorate the business and bring it into its next chapter.

“We’re very grateful for all the support that everybody’s given us for all these years,” she said. “If it could happen, we’d love to see Roxy’s taken to the next level.”