About Us

Our story begins in Dallas, where we met as teenagers and became friends, even though we went to rival high schools (and no, it wasn’t about football, we were debaters).  Then, by a twist of fate, we ended up in the same dorm at the University of Texas, where we decided our friendship was destined to last.  We lived together for the next three years, bonding over our love of music and parties and fashion.  (Yes, we went to class, most of the time.)

After graduation we moved to opposite coasts. Robin headed to Wall Street and Soho, where tiny fashion boutiques could be found on every corner and Bloomingdales was two blocks away.   Robyn moved to San Francisco, where many great retailers got their start (yes, we mean the Gap) and started a job in corporate retail. Living far apart didn’t stop us from getting together whenever we could, spending hours shopping and obsessing over fashion magazines (and, oh yeah, gossip magazines too). It was during one of these trips that we realized that even though we could (almost) afford to buy $200 tank tops or $500 jersey dresses, we were shocked that things so basic could cost so much.  Admittedly, we were not shopping at Walmart, but we couldn’t shake the feeling that we were spending more than we should have had to.

And so the idea of y&i was born – a bright, friendly store where you could find a well-edited assortment of great styles and quality clothing at affordable prices.  Every month, we search through thousands of styles to put together a unique, wearable collection of the latest trends in clothing, accessories, and jewelry.   We love our customers, and no matter what you’re looking for, we’ll help you find an amazing outfit that won’t have you maxing out your credit card.

We opened our first store, in the Marina district of San Francisco, in 2006, with a great party and a fabulous first day.  (We even had our first celebrity sighting—Billy Crystal came in with his daughter!)  In  2008 we opened our Austin store, on South Congress Avenue, another street with lots of cool places to shop and eat.    Stop by either one of our stores, and you’re likely to find one or both of us trying on clothes.  (We can’t help it, we’re shopaholics!) 

♥♥♥♥

Robin & Robyn