Financial troubles are just the tip of the iceberg Sutton Stracke breaks down in tears as she reveals the hidden pressures that led to store closures

Sutton Stracke addressed buzz about her business.

In a September 2024 interview on “Jeff Lewis Live,”  “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”  star set the record straight on a “For Lease” sign that was spotted outside of her West Hollywood storefront, The Sutton Concept.

When host Jeff Lewis asked her about the sign, Stracke placed blame on her assistant, Avi Gabay, for the confusion. “Avi is to blame,” Stracke said. “I swear to God I was out of town …I didn’t pay my rent, so they kicked me out!” she joked.

Stracke then confirmed that there was a major change coming to her business.

Sutton Stracke Explained Exactly What Is Going on at Her Boutique

Stracke’s boutique opened around the same time that she joined the cast of RHOBH in 2019. In an interview with Paper magazine, she explained how Bravo gave her business a boost.

“I wanted to get away from stuff that you can get at Neiman Marcus. No department store labels, just smaller known designers that can do special things for the store,” she said of her original business plan.

She added that her concept changed once Real Housewives fans became interested in her store’s offerings. “Once the show started it was like ‘Wow, people are going to suddenly see this store, what can we put in here that’s for everybody?'” she said.

The store website currently touts “fashion, art, décor and more.”

Speaking with Lewis, Stracke explained why the “For Lease” sign hangs at her store.

“So, you know, I have expanded and don’t need my storefront anymore,” she explained. “So, all of my inventory has been put on a pallet and it’s being shipped to Houston, I think. … The driver is still… like Willie Nelson style, on the road again. And he’s going to Houston with my all of my inventory.”

“And I’m in the back,” she added of her boutique’s location on North Almont Drive in West Hollywood. “I have a beautiful unit in the back, and so we’re by appointment only. In the back. So that whole quadrant is really pretty. like the courtyard is there. And so, I redid my Unit D. It’s nice and I’ll have like my samples there so that you can come by appointment only.”

In comments to a YouTube video of the segment, some fans still questioned if Stracke’s store was in trouble. But others noted that the “by appointment” concept is very common in the fashion world.

Fans Questioned If Stracke’s Store Was Going Out of Business When They Saw the ‘For Lease’ Sign

The buzz about Stracke’s business started in July when a photo reposted by the @queensofbravo fan account showed a “For Lease” sign hanging outside of The Sutton Concept. The accompanying phone number on the sign was linked to Gabay, who is Stracke’s property manager.

The store was also closed at the time. As of September 5, a message on The Sutton Concept website still reads: “Store is Temporarily Closed for the Month of August 2024.” There is also a link for shoppers to place orders online.

Once fans began speculating that the store was shutting down, Stracke posted to Instagram to assure everyone that all was well.

“I hear those streets are talking about my store… if you want the real tea, just ask the pot;)” she captioned a photo of herself standing outside of the boutique. “Good things coming! And I love #weho and we are in this together???”

Stracke added that things with her store and brand are “only getting better” and she thanked customers for their patience.