Profile - Shalini Vora:

Shalini Vora co-owns the hip women's boutique Scout on Howell Mill Road.

Scout's name represents the manner in which Shalini created the store: There was no place in town to buy well-made, stylish clothing that everyone else didn't have. So, Shalini decided to scout out independent and emerging designers from New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta to fill her space.

Scout can be found in culinary delight Bacchanalia, seen-and-be-seen Commune and high-end furniture mecca Belvedere, among other establishments.

Shalini and partner Elaine Gardner were considering a clothing website idea in late 1999. One day, the two were checking out Star Provisions — the gourmet food store attached to Bacchanalia — and struck up a conversation with the checkout guy. Turns out he owned the building and needed exciting new tenants. Seven months later, Scout opened its doors.

She spends a lot of time in what she calls "Atlanta's little postcard of metropolis." She recently moved into the neighborhood and has done her share of serving cocktails at Commune's Onyx Bar.

At Onyx, Shalini's poured drinks for Hotlanta's most notorious couple, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, as well as Woody Harrelson, who by the way, "has really nice hands."

Though she thought about leaving Atlanta, Shalini realized she had the opportunity to help put Atlanta on the map: "Atlanta has plenty of potential to be a thriving cosmopolitan city. There are tons of creative and entrepreneurial minds here. It's well on its way."

Shalini's personal ad: Loves to travel, but is a workaholic; invests in clothing that will carry you through life; is allergic to nuts; likes to sip Stoli Orange and soda; has an obsession with travel-sized products; could spend hours in Sam Flax.