10 Questions for Alice "Hope" Kim

While in Omaha I had the chance to intern for one of the magazine industry's finest, Alice Kim. A 15 year alumna, Alice has worked for some of the top magazines including a long running as InStyle's go-to accessories maven. After her 10th year at InStyle she decided to take a chance and follow a lifelong passion for the city of Omaha, Nebraska. Constantly encountering the city during her life through different acquaintances and startling coincidental outlets she packed up her New York apartment and headed to the quintessential Midwestern state of Nebraska.

Alice's boutique brainchild "Trocadero" was born appropriately and purposefully in 2007, the year of the golden pig, which in Chinese folklore promises a prosperous and wealthy life. Trocadero is filled with Alice's top picks which mirror her refined editor's taste. Brands featured include LAMB, Brian Atwood, Marvis, Kara Ross, MZ Wallace, Giuseppe Zanotti, and the iconic Kidrobot to just name a few. Items are hand selected and offer Omaha a chance at accessories and gifts that might otherwise seem worlds away.

I digested incredible amounts of information pertaining to the brands, boutique, and business from Alice and was delighted to sit down with her to ask a few questions of my own:

CC What is your middle name?
AK Hojung

CC What do you wish was your middle name?
AK I like my middle name - it's my Korean name. But if I had to choose another "H" - it would be Hannah or Hope.

CC What were your parents constantly finding you doing growing up?
AK Beating up other kids in my neighborhood. Really, I used to scratch, kick, and hit!

CC Best advice you followed?
AK Follow your heart.

CC Five things you miss about New York?
AK 1. Sushi of Gari, my favorite restaurant in the world! Gari's omakase is the best thing to eat bar none.
2. The U.S. open tennis matches every August/September. Best athletic event to watch live outdoors, in the sun, all day and night.
3. Fire Island - Point O'Woods. My friends have a place there - you have to have a family and children to have a house. No cars, just boardwalks and lots of bicycles. Perfect summertime retreat.
4. Walking everywhere and anywhere.
5. That unmistakable and incomparable energy that IS New York as well as calling it my home.

CC Favorite encounter in Omaha?
AK When the little kids of my customers come into the store and hug me around my legs.

CC Your best skill?
AK My memory - its like an elephant's!

CC Favorite "hated" trend?
AK Leggings - I can't live without them.

CC Three characteristics of originality?
AK 1. Confidence
2. Personal Style
3. Wit

CC What would you like to see more of in magazines?
AK I want to see great accessories and ones that normally found at massive and cheap stores. Aspirational and inspirational - I can see the trends and then search for cheaper alternatives on my own instead of seeing Target, Forever 21, Old Navy items on the pages and layouts.

To come see what all the fuss is about visit:
1208 1/2 Howard Street in the Old Market of Omaha
or http://www.shoptrocadero.com/ if Trocadero still seems worlds away