This post is written by guest blogger, Kelsey Stratton, Intern at Old Town Cape.
The blog committee wants to share with you the stories behind our downtown businesses, so we are launching a series portion of the blog. The series will include shopping, dining, exploring, beauty salons, worship, etc. and each series will feature multiple Q&A articles with various downtown business owners/merchants. The first series is about clothing boutiques, so we asked three different boutique owners a few questions. Here's what one of them had to say:
Q: Who are you and when did you open the store?
A: We are mother/daughter duo Jill and Emily Hoehne and we opened the doors of
Stash in October 2012. Neither of us ever planned on owning a store, but we couldn't have done it without each other. With the collaboration of Emily's retail experience and Jill's funding, we both agreed it was the right time in our lives to venture out.
Q: What makes your store unique?
A: Stash is not just any boutique...Stash is a shop where customers become friends. We value the relationships the store has allowed us to build, whether long term or just getting to know visitors from all over the country. The bond with our customers is what truly makes the store unique. "One of my favorite parts of the shop is just chatting with customers while they try on clothes and getting to know them," Emily said. "It's a place you can go and hang out and just be comfortable being a girl."
Q: Why did you choose to locate your store in downtown Cape?
A: While we could have set up shop anywhere in Cape Girardeau, we chose downtown because of the atmosphere; the reception we received was nothing short of amazing. Emily said, "I would not change the location of the store for anything in the world. Downtown has this neighborhood feel; it has a personality that makes you feel like a part of something more." "You get to know all the other store owners and we support one another. Our stores are not just a job, they're our livelihoods...they're our babies."
Stay tuned for the second post of this series, which will feature Philanthropy.