Capitol Hill isn’t all food and drink. We’re also fashionable. Just around the corner from the locavore foodie paradise of the Melrose Market, a new store has joined a string of fashion-dispensing shops on lower E Pine. Here’s the word on Scout Apparel from co-owner Karen Krupp:

We were looking for a name that worked for men and women and fit in with our vision of what we would carry and how the store would look. Erin and I both enjoy thrifting and looking for the perfect find, so it just kind of fit. We do the same with our store – really looking at each piece in the lines we carry and narrowing it down to what we think is easy enough to wear every day, but special enough to seek out at a boutique. We also do a lot of research and keep looking for the next great line that we are going to want to showcase in our store. Scout seemed to sum that all up in a word.

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The new boutique fills in the space at 313 E Pine where Vu once lived. Vu is now re-worked vintage purveyor Vutique and still a neighbor. Scout along with Vutique, Le Frock and Edie’s now forms a respectable fashion shopping destination on E Pine. Edie’s, by the way, has skin in the Scout game. Owner Erin Dolan is Krupp’s partner in the new venture that opened Easter weekend.

Semi-related “by the way” note: If you’d like to help another local entrepreneur make a go in the fashion biz, Steven Holt has held a few pop-up shops around the Hill and is now being considered for a big chunk of change in this corporately-sponsored contest. You can help, of course, by going to Facebook and voting for him. Every day.

Here is Scout’s announcement of the new store and the pictures Dolan and Krupp sent along of the sharp new space:

Scout Apparel, a clothing and accessories store for men and women, has opened in the booming Melrose and Pine micro-neighborhood on Capitol Hill. A few doors up from Bauhaus Coffee and less than a block from the Melrose Market, Scout offers casual styles that provide a foundation for your wardrobe; pieces that you can build upon and make your own, from a well cut t-shirt to a unique necklace.   Scout is run by partners Karen Krupp and Erin Dolan. Karen managed a clothing boutique in West Seattle for several years after graduating from Seattle Central Community College with a degree in Apparel Design. Erin Dolan is the independent business owner of Edie’s on Capitol Hill, operating since 2000. “I love the hill and I love the location. There has never been a better time to open a clothing store like Scout.” says Erin. “You will have the opportunity to shop new (Scout and Edie’s) and vintage (LeFrock and Vutique) all on one block and I think that really reflects the unique style of Seattle.” Karen adds, “People in Seattle like to be comfortable, but still want to look stylish. We wanted to bring an edgier selection of everyday wear to Seattle – basically the clothes I was shopping for but couldn’t find here.” 

Long-established brands like AG Denim and C & C California and small indie lines like BingBang jewelry and Collina Strada handbags create a well-edited collection. Men and women are represented equally. Prices range from $24 for a t-shirt to $250 for a winter jacket.

Scout’s interior is a combination of minimalist comfort and rock-n-roll. Dark weathered wood and blackened metal contrast with the pale grey walls. Feathers encased in blown glass ornaments hang from the ceiling above a denim wall and coffee table books with a rock theme are available for perusing while shopping. 

Scout is open from 10-7 Monday-Saturday and from 12-5 on Sundays at 313 E. Pine Street. Find them online at Facebook, Twitter and http://www.scoutseattle.com.

You might recall that fashion retail hasn’t been a guaranteed winner in the area. Velouria shut down earlier this year and is being replaced by a shellfish shop.