The high-end, lingerie boutique that once graced Pearl Street has found a new home: online. The luxury assortment with the laid-back, men-friendly environment that made The T*Bar a local's favorite has been recreated on the web at www.thetbar.com
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The T*Bar was founded by Deb Caplin in 2004 with the goal of easing the angst men feel when buying lingerie. “Men have great intentions when attempting to buy lingerie but the experience can be intimidating given sizing and the vast assortment of styles and options”, said Deb Caplin. Her goal with the store was to change what she called “the frilly land of uneasiness” by creating a casual environment that helped men translate what they did know about their woman into the right size and style. The store was staffed with knowledgeable, approachable “T*Bar Wranglers” and was outfitted not only to make it fun for men to come in and hang out a while, but ultimately, to take the fear out of all the little, sexy, silky things surrounding them.
Despite its success, rising local rents and the recession put the squeeze on the local shop and it was forced to close in 2010. After a short hiatus, Deb realized that a lot of what she achieved in the store could be achieved online with lower costs and a greater reach. While recreating the assortment and vibe online was straightforward, the idea of virtually helping men with size and style options was the challenge.
[ibimage==31362==Medium==http://thetbar.com/build-your-babe/==self==ibimage_align-left]Over the past 2 years, Deb and the team honed the virtual tool dubbed “Build Your Babe”. The online tool gives men a 3-D model of a woman that he can adjust until it looks like his significant other. Combined with a short personality quiz, the T*Bar site then offers suggestions on what will fit the woman’s size and style.
At the crux of the tool is the idea that a man actually knows a lot about his significant other: what she likes to do in her spare time, how adventurous she is, and how her body looks & feels. The proprietary algorithm was developed to translate that knowledge into traditional retail sizes and styles. Deb’s intimate knowledge of the product and women’s bodies, through her experience at the former retail location, helped hone the algorithm until it produced incredibly accurate results that were sure to please.
With the incredible support of the Boulder community, Deb is back in the saddle at The T*Bar once again living her motto that shopping for lingerie should be just as fun as taking it off.
