Former Liebermann’s space has a new retail occupant

 After months of sitting vacant, a new women’s boutique is setting up shop in the former Liebermann’s building downtown.

My Sista’s, a boutique featuringeverything from shoes and handbags to clothing and jewelry, opensFriday at 113 S. Washington Square and hopes to revive retail in thedowntown area, said owner Tina Robinson. It targets the “career woman”and the woman “who likes to look good,” she said. The store featuresoriginal pieces by eight local women, including Robinson.

“I think it will work for a large arrayof ages and different tastes,” she said. “That’s kind of the goal is tohave things for everyone.”

Robinson, 42, had been looking for aspace to start a business where she could sell her one-of-a-kindjewelry. She already had a lease drawn up for a space in Lansing Mallwhen she saw the for lease sign in the window of the former storedowntown. Robinson, who studied interior design at Lansing CommunityCollege, had always been attracted to the space because of the famousinterior design by George Nelson. At first, she dismissed thepossibility of leasing it, thinking it would be too expensive, butsomething convinced her to call.

“There was no way that I ever would have thought that this was where I was meant to be,” Robinson said. “It just worked out.”

My Sista’s opens for Black Friday from11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will kick off its grand opening week on Tuesday.The store will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.with a grand opening gala on Friday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.