Scientists looking for evidence that a passion for fashion is genetic need look no further than Jeri Rice, a third-generation Portland retailer who opened the boutique that bears her name last October on SW Broadway. The selection of women’s designer apparel and accessories here reflects her posh pedigree: Rice’s mother was Helen Gell, the grande dame behind Helen’s Of Course, a storied luxury outpost that evolved out of Gell’s uncle’s shop, Jaqueline’s, on NE Sandy Blvd.

Located in the landmark art deco Charles F. Berg building, the boutique is Rice’s second location; she launched the original in 1981 in Seattle, where she lives. “Friends here have been encouraging me to open a Portland store for years. The time—and this space—just felt right,” says the 53-year-old Rice. Stocked with pieces from lines such as Gaultier and Three Dot, the street-level second floor offers predominantly casual designs, while dressier looks by the likes of Monique Lhuillier and Ralph Lauren are displayed downstairs in an intimate, salonlike room appointed with gilt-edged mirrors and oversize ottomans.

Meanwhile, genetics researchers take note: Rice’s college-age son has revealed a predisposition toward the family trade. He’s currently working for an upscale Boston retailer, where Mom reports he’s already picked up an industry fundamental. Niche pricing? Merchandising? Nope, something maybe even more essential: “They’ve taught him how to fold properly.”