San Marcos Style

KnD’s Boutique is set to celebrate its 12th anniversary this Sunday, commemorating a history of success over strife and innovation in the face of struggle.

In fact, when KnD’s first opened its doors, the mother-daughter duo of Kristan Machado and Della Lucio suffered a flood that almost forced them to close.

“We had to redo the whole floor,” Machado said. “We used to have carpet in here. We took it all out and replaced the floors.”

But their challenges didn’t end there. The second year, LBJ Street underwent a dramatic facelift with the ongoing construction impacting all of the businesses along that section of The Square. “It was a struggle on top of the issues we had with running a new business,” Machado said. However, rather than letting circumstances dictate their success, Machado and Lucio did what they do best: They adapted. Machado and Lucio pivoted to pop-up shops and online sales, which kept them alive while the city completed its downtown construction projects. Given KnD’s proximity to the university, KnD’s began to cater to the Texas State population, providing stylish San Marcos- and Bobcat-themed spirit wear.

“That brought us a lot of success,” Machado said. “And then COVID hit.”

Overnight, the bustlings businesses around The Square shut down, leaving everyone to wonder how long the quarantine would last and what impacts it would have on local businesses.

“Not one store on our block was open,” Machado recalled. “It was like a ghost town. I thought, ‘We’re going to lose our business.’” But once again, Machado and Lucio used their skills and innovation to meet a specific need. At the time, doctors’ offices and pharmacies were running out of face masks.

“So my Mom and I started sewing them,” Machado said. “We were closed for a week. Then we reopened and sold masks. For six months, we did that. We made hundreds of masks. I would stay here until all our masks were gone.”

During that time, Machado served on the board for Downtown SMTX. Since their storefront was closed, she requested curbside parking for KnD’s. “City council approved, so now several businesses downtown have dedicated 15-minute parking,” Machado said.

Another bold business move Machado made during that time was to purchase the building that holds KnD’s Boutique. “People thought I was crazy,” Machado said. “They said, ‘What are you doing, buying at this time?’” Buying the building turned out to be a sound move, and once the quarantine lifted and life returned to a relatively normal pace, Machado and Lucio found that they had built a stronger, more resilient foundation on which to stand.

“I grew a lot as a person,” Machado said. “I had to hustle. I had to provide for my family. Since then, we’ve grown. In 2023, we won Small Business of the Year with the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. We opened our second location at Wonder World. We won Best Boutique at Best of Hays.”

These are milestones Machado doesn’t take for granted. Machado and Lucio provided yearly scholarships to students who graduate from San Marcos High School. As a Born-in-San Marcos local, Machado also takes the opportunity to give back to her community when she can. “Being a BISM, I just want the best for our community,” she said. “So many people and businesses helped us. We want to return the favor.”

Join KnD’s in celebrating twelve years of hard work and bright success with their 12th Birthday Party on Sunday, April 28 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature food, giveaways, raffles and margaritas. The first 50 people will receive a free tote bag, and visitors can check out KnD’s newest addition: A DIY Bar.

KnD’s Boutique is located at 312 N LBJ Dr. For more information, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/knds.sanmarcos. 7 or their website at knds-boutique.square. site.

Della Lucio poses with a stylish hat from her shop.