Melero Boutique and Gallery inhabits a demure blue dollhouse on India Street in San Diego’s Little Italy—a small slice of haute New York or Paris in a little neighborhood not far from the ocean front.
The dollhouse, called the A.W. Pray House, is a Victorian Gothic built in 1889; it was moved here by the architect Jonathon Segal to be added, as a retail space, to his current building project in little Itally. Fancifully, he calls the building “The Q”—a fond refererence to James Bond’s fictional gadget guru.
The idea of a clothing boutique/art gallery is Ruth Melero’s latest brainstorm. A strong woman who talks fast and knows what she likes, lucky for the rest of us, Melero knows what she likes and it’s always impeccable.
Melero’s goal is to be a place where San Diego women can find a little piece of New York or Paris. She has worked hard to curry favor and develop relationships with designers and artists locally and worldwide; the store carries beautiful lines, some of which are found here exclusively.
For the woman who astutely watches for the who’s who in fashion, Melero carries designer Diego Binetti. Binetti’s designs are an explosion of color. His dresses are in soft cottons and sexy hemlines. Binetti is fresh, feminine, immaculately appointed, and extremely wearable.
Ankasa is a line that has blown up worldwide, and now thanks to Melero can be found in San Diego.
The real standout at Melero are the accessories. Two jewelry designers in particular Marijoli and Gas Bijoux are destined to take the city by storm.
Whether customers are looking to decorate with a modern painting by famed artist Ricardo Rendon or jazz up a cottage with a contemporary collage or sculpture by the young and well established Pablo Helguera, Melero’s got you covered–and your little house too.
Melero loves color– emerald greens, golds, and corals. She carries swimwear by St. Tropez designer Las Noches and an Italian line by Delfina.
“My secret is this,” confides Melero, “I don’t carry anything that I wouldn’t die to have myself.”
