Monkee's first obtained their playful name from founder Dee Dee Shaw, whose mother nicknamed her and her siblings "a bunch of monkeys." After opening originally as a shoe boutique in Wilmington, NC, a second Monkee's location was opened in Winston-Salem, NC by Brenda Maready. These boutiques transformed from selling only shoes, to becoming a go-to fashion destination for women who prefer unique items and personalized customer service.