Boutique bonanza

Amazon and other commercial online retailers aren’t the only clothing stores that are thriving.

There’s also been a surge in the number of local boutiques in the past few years. Their reasons for popping up vary. Some boutique owners desired more control over the quality and style of available clothing in the area, while others wanted to try their hand at building a fashion business.

All offer a variety of products, some more niche than others.

Overall, though, all local boutique owners celebrate the relationships they have developed that keep them going.

Local residents want to buy from people they know, said Sunshine Boutique owner Krista Muhlenkamp. She taught English at Jay County High School for about 10 years before opening her store in Fort Recovery after she discovered the building at 128 N. Wayne St. was available for lease.

“A good friend of mine sent me a text and was like, ‘Krista, there’s a place for rent, so it might be your God wink,’” she recalled.

Sunshine Boutique has been in business for more than seven years, with most of its products sold in-person. The store sells clothing, accessories, personalized items and more. Muhlenkamp attributes her success to her customers, who have become like close friends or family.

Her strong ties in the community shined through after her 15-year-old son, Jake, died Oct. 9 following an off-road vehicle accident. Supporters set up farm equipment along Indiana 67 in Jay County and Ohio 29 in Mercer County on Oct. 14 in memoriam of Jake, and locals decorated her store windows with letters of support for the family.

“You know, shopping is therapy. People come in, and we have people who might cry,” she explained. “They’re coming in to find sunshine in more ways than one. And we find it in them, too.”

Deer Park Boutique of Portland thrives on its face-to-face business, but the online service has helped carry it through the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, said owner Kayla Darby.

Before COVID-19 closed stores across Indiana, Deer Park Boutique had about equal in-store sales to online sales. The store has a huge online presence around the Indianapolis area, she said, along with customers from Winchester, Berne and Ohio. She was excited to reopen her store this month at its new location, 204 N. Meridian St., Portland, next to the Ritz Theatre.

Darby, who has an associate degree in fashion merchandising from the International Business College in Indianapolis, has always loved the fashion industry. She worked at Chase and MainSource banks for almost 10 years before pursuing her dream of owning a boutique. After living in Indianapolis for six or seven years and returning to Jay County, she wanted to bring a big-city feel to Portland.

“There’s no jobs that cater to a fashion industry when you come back to a small town, so that’s when I really decided to go start up my own boutique,” she said.

She enjoys bringing styles that are popular for city dwellers to a more rural crowd has new items almost every week.

Not all boutiques are the same — some target different age groups or offer additional services.

The Loft on Meridian Salon Studio offers both salon services and retail.

Jennay Jackson opened her business at 301 N. Meridian St. in May. She bought the building that housed Koffee Kup diner in December, and her staff spent the following months, including time during the stay-at-home order, renovating the interior.

The studio boasts two hair-cutting stations and a boutique. Customers can visit for the salon experience and then check out a variety of clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Jackson had been selling clothes out of her home for June and Company Boutique since 2018, and she’s been a hairdresser for eight years. She said in a July interview that owning a salon and boutique has “always been a dream” for her.

After businesses opened again in May after state restrictions lifted, the studio was “slammed” with customers visiting to get haircuts or new up-dos, Jackson said.

Be You Boutique, 127 N. Wayne St., Fort Recovery, offers everything from teen accessories to baby toys. Owner Jenni Smith started the business about two years ago. She worked with children as an occupational therapy assistant in Ohio, but after a while, it was difficult to balance her work with her own children.

Smith had always wanted to start her own boutique, and she said it seemed like the right time.

Her daughters, 11-year-old Eliza and 15-year-old Olivia, love helping take photos of new items. Eliza enjoys modeling, and Olivia likes using the camera.

Investing in her customers’ lives in a different way is the reason why Smith loves her job. She enjoys checking in with her regulars and making connections.

It’s easier for Smith to make sales in-person because customers like to see their children in the outfits she sells, although she does have some success posting on Facebook. She’s noticed nearby residents have been more apt to shop local lately, and in-store business has picked up again.

“The community support for small businesses has been great, and especially through COVID, people are reaching out to make sure they make the community stay active,” she said. “You can’t beat small towns.”

Some boutique owners balance daytime jobs alongside their businesses.

High Voltage Boutique owner Sara Knapke keeps busy. She often puts in long hours between her full-time job and boutique responsibilities.

Knapke starts her morning routine about 5:30 a.m. with a workout. She then gets ready for her day in the apartment behind the store at 131 N. Wayne St., Fort Recovery. Often she’ll do marketing photography for the day and then head to Jackson’s Garage in Celina, Ohio, about 8 a.m. After her shift at the semi garage, she returns to the boutique and closes around 8 p.m.

High Voltage celebrated its one-year anniversary in October. Knapke, a former Dunkirk resident, started the business because there weren’t many places around that had the same “southern rock” style as her. She also wanted to supply more true-to-size and quality clothing. Caring about the product is what sets a business apart, she said.

She explained that her store’s “edgy” vibe tends to stick out because it’s located in a more conservative area. Visitors have stopped in and told Knapke they didn’t expect a store like hers in such a small community.

“When you hear something like that, it breathes life into you,” she said. “It’s always good when you have people come in and just love on you.”

Penn Creek & Co. owner Tanner McClain of rural Pennville works at First Bank of Berne. She launched her website about a year ago after becoming frustrated that she couldn’t find much clothing variety in the area. She said she also had difficulties finding quality products.

“I feel like shopping is kind of overwhelming,” she said. “You think, like, OK, you need to buy something, you need a certain piece of clothing or you need something for a certain event.

“Most people go to the mall … and every store has the exact same thing.”

She values the bonding time she gets out of it with her daughters, 5-year-old Addilyn and 2-year-old Raelyn. The girls often help her pick out items, package them and try on different accessories.

McClain has a few family and friends from Arizona as well as customers out of Ohio, but most of her business comes from local sales. She has a small group of community members supporting her store who are welcome to visit her home and try on clothing. She also sets up a booth at vendor shows, like those at Jay Community Center and at Pennville festivities such as the pumpkin festival and spring fling.

“I’m definitely glad that I started it. I’ve made a lot of friends through it,” she said.

Despite online competitors and mandated closings, boutique owners around Jay County and Fort Recovery have made it clear they’re here to stay. The close-knit community and support is what keep these stores in business.

“I think that’s been my favorite part,” Darby said. “It’s just kind of bonding and building those relationships with some of these people that I never would have met otherwise.”