Meet Diana Wallace of Him & Her Boutiques

Him & Her is a locally owned boutique offering apparel and accessories for men and women all in one space. The shop, which now boasts locations in both New Albany and Louisville, is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Ross and Diana Wallace. Meet Diana, our newest FACE of Louisville!

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How did you get into the retail business?

It was really my husband, Ross. We’re partners in everything we do — I also own a salon, and we’re opening an event venue. We have a lot of irons in the fire. But when it comes to retail, it was really Ross’s dream. We’d be out shopping, stopping at all these women’s boutiques. He wanted something like that for himself. Helping him and working together to make that happen when neither of us had the experience was what got me excited and into the idea.

How did Him & Her come to be?

We took Ross’s dream and started out with only men’s apparel in 2016. There was the original location in New Albany, as well as the Frankfort Avenue location, which we opened in 2018. For years, people would ask us to add a women’s line to the store. We’d always thought it would just be a men’s store because women already have so many places to shop.

At the time, we were in a smaller, rented location in New Albany. But in 2019, we had the opportunity to purchase the building we’re currently in. Once we moved there, we had so much more square footage — so we started entertaining the idea of adding women’s apparel. We did that in the fall of 2021, and I handle all the women’s buying, which has been amazing. The Frankfort Avenue location was too small to make that change, so we started scouting for other spaces around Louisville. That’s how we ended up with our second store at the Paddock Shops.

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What can people expect to find at Him & Her?

We offer apparel, accessories, and shoes. We’re always trying to look for sneakers that are super comfortable and fashionable. We just brought Hokas in — shoes are a really big seller for us. When it comes to accessories, we have awesome Stetson hats and Goorin Bros. animal farm hats, which we love. Anything that can be worn, we’ve got it!

Where do you get most of your goods?

We carry brands that aren’t easy to find in this area. We research to find brands that are big on social media or making a big splash online. We reach out to them directly to get them into the store or find them at Market. We’re constantly keeping our eyes out for what’s new, what’s fresh, and what everyone is talking about.

We carry great name brands — like Cuts and Vuori — that you can’t really find elsewhere in the area. We have them here so people can see, touch, and feel the items in person. Everything we offer is items that we love or know our customers are talking about.

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What are your favorite places to eat, shop, and play around Louisville?

I like supporting other local businesses when I shop. All the stores in downtown New Albany are amazing. When it comes to dining out, Board & You in New Albany, Jeff Ruby’s, and La Bodeguita de Mima in Louisville are three of my 25 favorite restaurants. As far as playing, Ross and I love attending concerts in small venues like Mercury Ballroom, the Louisville Palace, and Headliners.

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about going into the retail business?

Honestly, just do it. Ross and I are people who throw ourselves in and figure it out as we go. We’ve had a lot of success that way because we’re just not willing to stop. Obviously, you’re going to make wrong decisions along the way. You’ll do things that aren’t necessarily on the right path, but if you stumble or fall, getting up and continuing to move forward is the most important thing. It’s not considered a failure unless you stop. It’s always a learning experience as long you keep moving forward. For anyone thinking about doing something like this, I’d say to do your research to find a good location, then just make it happen.

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Speaking of advice, what’s the best advice you’ve ever given or received?

There are two parts to this; they’re almost like North Stars. If you keep focused on these two things, I think it helps you to make better decisions. The first is to always fall in love with your customers, not your product. It’s the customers that you’re servicing, so you need to make sure you’re always listening to them. You can’t be too narrow-minded and egotistical about your product — you have to follow what your customers really want.

Secondly, do the work until the job is done. Don’t give up halfway or do only part of something. I’ve heard this advice in the past, and it’s become a core belief for me. Also, it’s so important to take care of your employees. Your employees are the people who take care of your customers. If you’re respectful and love them, they will love your business and your customers, too.

Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?

Family and faith are the two biggest ones — when you take those off the table, that’s a difficult question to answer! I’d say really good books, really good food, and my dogs, Preston and Cali. Preston is a Yorkie, Cali is a Shepherd mix, and they are the best of friends.

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