Boutique a dream for ex-teacher

As a teen, Krista Muhlenkamp wasn’t very interested in clothing, describing herself as a tomboy.
Now she owns a clothing boutique in Fort Recovery.
Sunshine Boutique, located at 128 N. Wayne Street, opened in October and offers modest and classy clothes that are still “sassy,” the former Jay County High School English teacher said.
Owning a boutique was a bucket-list dream for her that she never imagined would come true.
“I went to a local boutique about three years ago and I remember coming home and telling my husband, ‘I know what I want to do when I grow up,’ kind of jokingly,” Muhlenkamp said.
When a storefront in Fort Recovery became available in April 2013, she took it as a sign.
Nearly a year after opening, the experience is more rewarding than she imagined it would be.
“I’ve met lots of new people and have gained some new friendships out of it,” she said. “And I get bored very easily. No day is the same, and that’s good for me.”
The shop offers clothing in sizes x-small through 3x, and Muhlenkamp’s goal is to offer clothing all women can feel good in.
“I just want all ages to be able to shop in here and feel comfortable in what they’re wearing … From my teenager to my grandmother who is 94 and shops here on a monthly basis,” she said.
She finds the clothes she sells through designers at clothing shows in Indianapolis and Chicago.
In addition to clothing, she offers body care, shape wear, scarves, jewelry, purses and other accessories, many of which are made by women in Jay County and Fort Recovery.
The store is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
The last year has gone by quickly, she said, but it’s been fun.
“It allows me to be creative yet, and I’m a people person so I still get to work with a lot of different people, and it’s fun to help them put things together and make them feel good,” the owner said.
And when she’s at the store, she doesn’t feel like she’s working.
“I don’t think there have been very many days … where I don’t look forward to coming to work. For anyone to have a job you look forward to go to, that’s a blessing,” the Jay County resident said.
Most of her customers are Fort Recovery residents, but she also sees many Jay County and other areas of Mercer County, along with those just passing through town.
And having a small shop allows her to form relationships with her customers.
“I think there’s something neat about small shops and small business in these little towns and not having to run to an hour away to get something all the time,” she said. “When you go into a big place, someone’s not going to help you put an outfit together.”
Shopping at Sunshine Boutique is a smaller experience, and Muhlenkamp is able to learn what styles her loyal customers like to better serve them.
And she loves doing that.
“If you’re just wanting to find something different from anything casual to classy, stop on in,” she said.
“I love helping people put stuff together.”