Business Spotlight: Shunzi

1233 Fourth St., San Rafael
415.455.9085, http://www.shunzi.net

Who are they?

Owner Shunzi Che grew up in China, where she dreamed of becoming a scientist like her idol, Marie Curie. She came to the United States and earned a Ph.D. in pharmacology. But while in graduate school, Che realized that her passion lay in something she had always considered a hobby: fashion and design. She had been designing clothes for herself and friends, and decided to leave her scientific studies to pursue fashion full time. 

Che entered the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco in 1997, where she majored in fashion design. She opened the first Shunzi store in Petaluma in 2002. Now, there are two more locations, with one in San Rafael and one in Los Altos. 

Che's considers her husband Stephan Johnson, a philosophy professor, her biggest supporter in every way, despite having "hardly any fashion sense," she said. They met a year after the opening of the Petaluma store. He played a pivotal role in choosing the second and the third locations.

"This is a volatile business ," Che said, "and running this business involves continuing stress from all angles. The success of the business is not possible without his support, nor is my sanity, let alone my happiness."

What do they offer?

Shunzi offers styles that are interesting and tasteful to a woman who doesn’t want to look like a young girl nor an old lady, and service that is personal and professional. They sell designers that range from Israel to Los Angeles to Japan. In addition to clothing, Shunzi also has hats, scarves, bags and jewelry. The store's ideology is that as long as they consistently provide great merchandise and great service, they will always succeed.

How long have they been there?

The Shunzi located in San Rafael first opened in 2005. Che used all of her life savings (about $10,000) to open her first store in Petaluma. She started with very little inventory, half of which were her own designs, at a very small space in a little alley. She had no experience in retail or any business, but she knew the importance of good common sense and trusted her taste in fashion.

Why are they in our Business Spotlight?

Since her business started nearly 10 years ago, Che has seen her sales improve every year in each store, despite the nation's economic downturn. In addition to many loyal customers who keep the store from going under, she also attributes her success to her staff, calling them "wonderful employees who deserve to be recognized for their talents and hard work, which is crucial for the success of our business."