Oprah launches online store

CHICAGO — Short of a coveted ticket for a taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," an easier way to surround yourself with the presence of the queen of talk is to go to her official store across from Harpo Studios in what was once a Chicago warehouse district.

With its dim lighting, hardwood floors and urban-loft feel, The Oprah Store is a hybrid souvenir shop and boutique. It opened in January and has hosted an average 250 post-Oprah show shoppers and Winfrey fans a day.

Harpo is taking that demand and putting it online, launching www.theoprahstore.com Friday. It's an expansion of a small shopping Web site that carried key chains and T-shirts. The new online store will sell 800-plus items.

Fans said going to the Chicago store is one way they can feel closer to someone they admire.

Catherine Hinkle, 52, a pharmacist from Overland Park, Kan., recently spent more than $200 after a taping.

"I don't mind spending money here," Hinkle said, lifting her two large lime-green shopping bags with "The Oprah Store" on the side. "I feel like I'm supporting who she is."

At the 5,500-square-foot boutique, fans can buy "O" apparel, umbrellas, coffee mugs, baby bibs and pet collars.

Tote bags and note cards are printed with Winfrey quotes such as "Live your own dreams." Nonbranded clothing such as cashmere sweaters and lounge outfits project a certain calm.

Store manager Darcy Rogers said everything was selected with Winfrey's style and taste in mind.

Customers are "really specific," Rogers said. "They want something with Oprah's signature or just the 'O.' "

It is rare for a talk-show host to have an official store.

One of the only other comparable examples of a celebrity having an official store is Céline Dion, who had a boutique at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas during her five-year run there.

At Winfrey's store, the real draw for some die-hard Winfrey fans is "Oprah's Closet," an armoire filled with clothes and shoes that Winfrey once wore or kept in her own closet. Proceeds from that section go to Winfrey's Angel Network, which contributes to a number of projects.

But with those items being sold at prices ranging from $80 to $500, many fans are more likely to stick to key chains or the workout wear.

"Her stuff was very normal," said Lori Nimmo, 43, of Highland, Mich., who tapes Winfrey's shows all week and watches them on Saturday morning. "Stuff that we would wear. That's what makes her accessible."