Boerum Hill Shop Owner Raising Money for LLS

While most impulse-buys located near the cashier fall under the "small indulgences" category—lip gloss, celebrity gossip magazines, and key fobs come to mind—one local Boerum Hill boutique is bucking convention with eye-catching treats for a good cause. 

"Grab a bag to fight cancer!" proclaim the tags on a series of mysterious brown lunch bags that have been sealed and decorated with silk ribbons near the checkout at Kimera, a clothing shop located at 366 Atlantic Avenue between Hoyt and Bond Streets.

Kimera owner/designer Yvonne Chu, who specializes in custom wedding gowns and silk shantung dresses, is raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Team in Training, the largest endurance sports training program in the world.

Proceeds from Kimera's $10 grab bags, filled with an assortment of "candy, jewelry, ornaments and lots of differents things," will go toward Chu's fundraising goal as she prepares to run the Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge: two marathons on two different coasts, 13 days apart from one another.

If that sounds ambitious, or even a little crazy, Chu's steely determination will convince anyone she's up to the challenge.

"I've run six seasons already with Team in Training," says Chu, who during that time has completed 7 marathons, 8 half-marathons and her first Ironman last year. "I love it." 

You can follow Chu's progress in training and fundraising on Twitter at @milesforcancer.