Why Sarah Jessica Parker isn't opening her first boutique in New York City

After years of selling her eponymous brand of shoes, handbags, perfumes and accessories at department stores, Sarah Jessica Parker is jumping into the brick-and-mortar retail business.

But the boutique’s location has some Parker fans baffled. The SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker store is housed in the new $1.4 billion MGM National Harbor resort and casino along the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, Maryland, just on the outskirts of Washington, DC.

The Big Apple-based actress, fashion icon and entrepreneur is synonymous with New York City since her run as the star of the long-running hit “Sex and the City,” but as she explains to me in the above video, “MGM asked and had such faith in us and the brand, we just had to say yes.”

The resort and casino includes a 308-room hotel, a 3,000-seat theater and restaurants by prominent chefs José Andrés and Marcus Samuelsson.

Parker, 51, admits this is a challenging time for brick-and-mortar retailers, especially luxury brands. In fact, traffic to high-end shops has slipped 20% compared to a year ago, according to the consulting firm The Luxury Institute.

When we met up with Parker at her 1,603 sq. foot boutique, she was busy arranging high-heeled shoes on the shelves.

“We were here until 1:30 a.m. putting the final touches on the store before opening day,” said Parker. She and her business partner, George Malkemus III, the CEO of Manolo Blahnik, visited the site in hard hats “endless times” during the construction.

At the boutique, shoppers will find the complete SJP Collection, including colorful and bejeweled Italian-made shoes starting at $240, leather handbags priced as high as $695, as well as her latest offering, Parker’s Little Black Dress Collection, which starts at $395. For the more frugal shopper, there’s the SJP candle for $48, her complete line of perfumes, a $35 signature key chain and a $30 SJP canvas tote.

Malkemus wouldn’t name names, but said since launching her shoe collection in 2014, Parker has been approached by a number of companies either wanting to buy her brand or open a store with her. For one reason or another, Malkemus says it was never the “right deal.”

The next SJP store will likely open at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, according to Malkemus, and he says a New York City store will happen “when the time is right.” Parker tells Yahoo Finance that New York City is her “dream” location for a retail store.

Just 12 miles from the White House, Parker is ready to dress the Washington-elite. Although she was a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton for president, the ever diplomatic businesswoman says she would welcome a visit from incoming First Lady Melania Trump to her store. “We are very democratic here,” she says with a smile, “The shoes are available to everybody.”