Armadillo Bay

A very cute little boutique! I’ve been driving past this place for many years, and I thought why not check it out? I was happy to see that they have Free People here. Probably one of the only spots in Fremont that sells that brand, other than Nordstrom Rack at Pacific Commons. It’s a bit more of on the pricier side. I was hoping to find something less than $ 30 on their clearance section, but even their clearance is pretty expensive. They also have a wide range of Hobo bags and wallets. I definitely would shop here all the time if I could afford it. Perhaps someday!

Love everything in this store… Alberta was soooo nice and friendly. …the clothes were funky and chic… great items on sale… and for those that just can’t find anything that looks great on you… never fear you will find it here. Absolutely love it!

Cutest botique with very personable service. Bought a great Lodis purse for very good sale price.

The owner of the store is pleasant and chatty. She is very helpful when picking out clothes. The boutique is very quaint and carries a lot of Free People, Paige denim, Velvet, Chaser tees, HoBo bags, as well as other brands that higher end department stores carry. The sizes they carry are on the smaller end. They also carry unique scarfs and jewelry. They have a nice selection of items at all times. They are VERY pricey, though. Many times I can find the same item for half the price at an outlet store, but still I shop here because I like supporting local/​independent retailers.
Now, the reason this place didn’t get a higher rating from me is for one reason: returns. As I mentioned, I have gone here for years, spending MORE just to support local. Through the years going to this shop, I am sure I have spent thousands. I have never returned or exchanged an item. Then recently, I noticed a yellow top in my closet that I purchased here and never wore. It was about two months since it was sitting in my closet, unworn, with tags on. I figured I should probably take it back since I will probably never wear it at this point, and I would try and get store credit (since I shop here often). When I walked in the store, I was relieved to see the same top still in the store (one left). I knew that my time for exchange/​return had expired, but since the same top was STILL available, the tags on my top were still on AND I’m a good customer, I figured there would be an exception made. Nope! I didn’t even ask for a refund, just store credit! The owner was nice about it, but the answer was, «Sorry, I can’t.» I really wanted to say, but didn’t: «Yes, you, can. You are the owner of the store and can do what you want.» I felt let down and insulted. My only return/​exchange after spending so much through the years at this store, and she wasn’t able to make an exception :(Sadly, the top still sits in my closet unworn. Because of this incident I vowed not to shop here nearly as much as I have.
Bottom line: Be sure you really, really want an item before purchasing.

Love! Love! Love! This boutique!
They do Layaway! I have not done this.
No returns! I have never done this.
They accept credit cards ~ visa, master card, Not American Express
I first went into this store in the year of 2000. I bought 4 long dresses by Betsy Johnston. I still have the dresses but, I don’t fit in them. Maybe someday I will fit in them.
Sunday Morning and early afternoons the street is closed for farmers market. It’s a one way street. The parking isn’t easy. Planning on walking.
Clothes sizes are 2,4,6,8 and some 10.
They have a sale section
Brand names: Betsy Johnston, Free People, Nicole Miller, Blue Dot jeans, Velvet, Covet, Hanky Danky, and Traffic People.
The ladies who work at the boutique they are very helpful and very nice and friendly. They will show me the latest dresses and they help put an outfit together.
They sell: Clothes, jewelry, hand bags, lollin, candles, lotions, cute panties, eye wear, lip glosses, and match boxes.
The clothes are unique and you can mix them up with today clothes. The clothes is a bit pricey but, I think it is worth it.
I used one of the outfits for a fashion show. Everyone loved the outfit!
They have lots of sheer tops. I bought 2 of them.
They have a rare and unique clothes. You don’t have to worry about someone having the same outfit as you. The style they have you can keep the clothes for years.

Alberta has a beautiful boutique located in this charming brick building. Her jewelry is uhmazing! JBF heard me talk about this place once and was thoughtful enough to find it and get me a gift from here. Being sweet goes a long way! It’s not about the material gift, but more about using your imagination to win a girl’s heart.
–1 star for being far away

Very cute little (very small!) boutique — a great gem in fremont, despite how large a city it is, it’s unfortunate that we don’t have more unique shops like this. The lady there was friendly and helpful — easy to chat with and mentioned that the place has been around for 21 years now (how did I miss this place?) and she’s worked there for 11 years. Quite impressive, and she was quick to explain (since it was my first time there) that they get new stock every week, but just a few things and that everything was final final — once they sell out, it’s gone, and once it’s on the sale rack, it will stay there (hooray). Also very glad that there’s a sale rack, not every boutique has such a safe haven. The pieces they carry are unique but def pricey. Cute bags (BoHo?) and they carry plenty of Covet, Free the People, Velvet… Other accessories as well as cute undies~

The only reason for the loss of a star is the super dooper expensive prices, but it’s to be expected in a small boutique that carries the brands it does AND for the semi pushy lady (VERY nice, but I always feel pressured like she’s trying to sell me the whole store)
The staff is SO nice and welcoming, but like I said, I feel pressured at times. They want to show me the latest dresses, the latest belts, the latest jewelry, AND sometimes they’ll put an outfit together as a suggestion, with accessories and all, but it’s soooo outdated fashion. I bought a free people dress here and she wanted to accessorize it wit the worst shawl/​scarf and really outdated looking jewelry. nice stuff, but not for my 26 yr old taste. I got the dress anyway (and LOVE IT), but without all the old lady accessories.
Pricey, but like most posts have said it’s definitely worth the cost for special occasions when you don’t want the cheap F21 dress that everyone and their mama has.

An outpost of chic civilization. The owner, Alberta, has an artistic eye as it pertains to fashion. She is also extremely nice/​chatty/​charming. Elspeth, who is from Switzerland and also very friendly/​interesting, is also quite artistically gifted when it comes to fashion and displays. They have many wearable, attractive brands such as Paige denim, Velvet and Free People. They also have attractive party dresses in brands like Nicole Miller and Betsey Johnson. The jewelry by the French company La Vie is nice along with some of the handcrafted pieces. It is visually pleasing and never too rushed.

Ahhh this is definitely one of the best boutque’s I’ve ever been to, in and out of Fremont. It sports so many different vintage brands that I love!
The lady who works at this place is super nice, and actually recognizes me and my mom cause we come here so often! I think she opened another store in Santana Row somewhere too, but that’s a bit too far for me to visit regularly.
I always come here after shopping at Farmer’s Market!

This is a great boutique if you can’t make it to Santana Row and you don’t want to go to Forever 21 for something quick, cheap & everyone and their mama has. They have a lot of cute & trendy pieces. This can be dangerous to your wallet because they don’t carry a lot of sizes so you’re compelled to buy it anyway. I spent more than I wanted to but I came out with a couple of cute pieces that I am totally satisfied with and didn’t mind paying the price for especially when you find something you like.

Great selection of current styles.
Owner is very nice and super helpful.
I would definitely go there again.
Prices are a touch on the high side but the sales prices are very reasonable.

I love Armadillo Bay!
Their selection of organic soaps, Betsey Johnson dresses and Nicole Miller tops and selective Free People pieces are enough to make a girl swoon! They have so many great brands that it would take a day for me to name them all.
Stop in for a look! It’s the swankiest place in Fremont for a girl to get her fashion on.

I was actually waiting for a friend at Bay Street Café next door when I strolled by with my puppy. The lady working there, whom I presume is the owner, was extremely nice and had no problems letting me bring my puppy inside.
This cute little boutique carries some great brands like everyone mentioned and there was an extensive sale rack. I wasn’t really looking for anything in particular. I love basics by Velvet & Free People but I noticed that a large percentage of their tops are sheer. Like super super see through. I’ve never really been one to pull off that look and I’m not creative enough to figure out how to make it work.
I would stop by if I were in the area again, had more time, and didn’t have my needy puppy with me.

One of my favorite store in Fremont. They have cute clothes but get ready to pay extra. You can find brands like Velvet, Free People, Betsey Johnson, Charlotte Tarantola, Kersh. Both Alberta & the other gal is very helpful.

Armadillo Bay is a hidden gem in Fremont. They carry a great mix of designers from the quirky and unknown to Free People and Velvet. The saleslady is very friendly and helpful. She always gives great suggestions. Bianca Nero and Nicole Miller are just a few of the dress designers they have in stock. You can’t beat their sales either. I found a great Bianca Nero piece at 70% off!

The women who work here are really nice and have a great sense of style. The items in this boutique are extremely chic but mostly expensive. I go straight to the sale section in the back where they have markdowns up to 90%! I got two pairs of DeHoghton jeans that were worth 190 dollars each for 20 each. I also got Free People jeans that were worth 70 dollars for 30.
I gave them four stars because they don’t do returns, only store credit.

I just went back again today. Soon my closet will be filled with nothing but Velvet (the brand, not the fabric!!!) from my favorite clothing store Armadillo Bay… and I’m OK with that. I might have to start eating less so I can fit into their dresses (my apologies to all of the cheese and wine makers this will put out of business).
The lady who owns this place has GREAT taste!
They also have really cute handbags and earrings.
…and yeah, nobody takes Amex. I think it’s Amex’s fault for charging more than all the other credit card companies.

Armadillo Bay has to be the one and only boutique in Fremont! It carries Betsey Johnson, Free People, Hanky Panky (my fav) and UK label TRAFFIC PEOPLE for those into modern vintage frocks — pretty. Something for everyone.

¹¹⁄₂₇ UPDATE: This store accepts Visa and Mastercard, but NOT American Express.
As with the other reviewers, I love this store! However, it’s helpful to know that MOST of the clothes come in 4 sizes only: 2, 4, 6 and 8. Some items are available in a 10. I do not «fit» in this category, so I go for the accessories, where size DOESN’T matter! I am particularly fond of the HOBO bags, On the Rocks jewelry and Santi bejeweled clutches. They also carry Betsey Johnson, Blue Dot jeans, Lollia candles and lotions, plus cute panties, soaps and eyewear. The owner, Alberta, is a bundle of pure energy, and both she and her staff are über-​helpful. Plus, they offer to put certain brands on layaway. Feels much less expensive that way, as long as you pay up in a month!
Factoid: The store is located on a one-​way street; there’s a small stretch of street parking and a tiny parking lot adjacent to this historic brick building. Directly behind the building is a Kragen Auto with a huge parking lot. Please note that on Sunday mornings and early afternoons, this one-​way street is closed off for a farmers’ market and parking is dicey. Be prepared for a bit of walking!