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Thanks to YOU for shopping local, your dollars continue to bless so many in the community. Pat yourselves on the back -- you're awesome!
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Here's a picture that was posted from 2018 in anticipation of our opening...
In that short amount of time, CB has grown from pop ups, to brick and mortar, to our new, bigger location in Galesville. And in honor of four years in business, I'd love to invite you to help us celebrate! On Saturday, June 11th we will be hosting a birthday party -- complete with snacks, giveaways, new product, hair braiding, chair massages, and more! RSVP to the event to not miss a thing: Event Page The event runs that day from 9am-3pm and we hope you'll consider joining us for part of the day!
]]>The last two years have been a lot.
I hope you're in a good place -- a lot of anything can be overwhelming, and what we've faced is pretty unbelievable if you take time to look back on it. I took some time to go through what I call my "photographic journal" aka Facebook. Here are some of Coulee Boutique's highlights over the past two years.
Like it or not, masks have been a big part of 2020 onward. This was my way to remind customers early in the pandemic that masks were required inside CB.
Local business owners supporting one another.
Shown from top left (me), Meg from Unwine'd Wine Bar, Dr. Callie from The Hive Chiropractic, middle row: Author Amanda Zieba, Jackie from Jackie's Sola Boutique, Amy of Upcycling by Amy, bottom row: Leslie with Bella Botanicals, our very own Lindsay owner of Asch & Pine, and Lori from Paws in the Paint!
In March of 2020 we started incorporating live sales into our routine. Nearly two years later and we've grown to doing them three times a week and offer a free app! This is "the stage" on which we perform. HA!
We continued group photoshoots for a while opting for local, outdoor locations. This particular photo is from our Mother's Day shoot in 2021 at Ecker's Apple Farm.
I rented an apartment with Kelly from Create Happy in January of 2021. This allowed me to get CB out of my house! I've had storage, an office, and live sale/photo setup here which has been just perfect.
Many events were hosted in the Brickstone during 2020 and 2021. The photo below is of our lovely Galentine's Day vendors in February 2021. Despite nearly below zero temperatures, the event was a wild success!
We've gone through so. much. inventory! The boxes below show a shipment of shoes that arrived at the store one day.
October 2021 goes on record for the most gorgeous weather for an Apple Affair in recent history! It was a glorious day in Galesville.
We added Naomi and Ellie to the team! I was sure Naomi would just work through her internship and be done but here she is -- over a year and a half later! Ellie joined just recently in January of 2022.
And that gets me all caught up! Hard to believe how much life happened in the last two years. If you've got some time, scroll through your own Facebook photos or your phone. See how much has changed, and how much is just as it should be.
I'll be writing soon,
Anna
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In my former profession as a teacher, my people were naturally built in to my day-to-day life. I had an incredible team and we really clicked. We supported each other through personal and professional struggles and wins. There was always someone there with words of encouragement and wisdom when I needed it. Along with my team, there were countless other individuals in the building and district that I grew to consider important parts of my school family. Dang do I miss these people.
Fast forward a year and a half. I'm still figuring a lot out on my own, but I've also found a great tribe of individuals that are, like me, in the trenches of entrepreneurship. Most of the women I've met are also working full-time jobs, running a household, and hustling late into the night. They are all passionate about their craft and it shows each time their face lights up as they talk about it. We meet monthly and discuss challenges in business, celebrate successes, and just be in the presence of like-minded people. Here's the crew that attended the meet-up I hosted at the shop.
The winter months can be long and feel really isolating. I encourage any of you who feel alone or lonely, hang in there. The days are getting longer, the temperatures warmer. If you ever need a friend, you'll find one at Coulee Boutique. Stop in for a free coffee and conversation. May we lift each other up.
xo,
Anna
]]>Our store occupies what once was a bank, hardware store, and flooring and video rental store. There are a lot of stories behind the building we're in, and it is truly humbling to be a part of its history. When people step into the fitting room for the first time and I get to tell them it was once a bank vault, the sense of whimsy is unmistakable.
You can't help but admire the amazing mural that adorns the wall behind the checkout counter. It was just one of the many beautiful details that made choosing this space a no-brainer. Maggie Stoner, who is a former student and daughter of my landlord, was the talent behind the beautiful painting which represents the building Coulee Boutique resides in.
Not only do I get to connect with customers and share my love of clothes with my community, but I also get to show my children what dedication and hard work look like. My boys are often with me on weeknights until my husband can pick them up. When we officially got the address for the store (which is a whole other story), my 6-year-old looked up at the numbers and said, "Hey! That's our place!" My hope is that over the course of time, you feel like it is your place, too. You are welcome at Coulee Boutique at any time. <3
xo,
Anna
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I've been asked many times, "Where is Coulee Boutique?" People expect a physical location to shop at, so when my response is, "It's a website!" I sense hesitation. Personally, I prefer shopping online compared to in-store. I have three young children, live out in the country, and just generally live a busy life. I don't have time to drive 30+ minutes to the nearest Target, GAP, or *gasp* outlet mall. That's why so many other entrepreneurial women get my business. I can shop in my PJs, when and where it's convenient for me, and get items that aren't in all the big box stores. Win, win, win!
By starting Coulee Boutique as an online-only boutique, I wanted to offer that same convenience to other women who may be in a similar predicament. Shopping with us allows you to purchase unique pieces that are specifically curated for our boutique. Our items are limited so you're not likely to see anyone else in the same pieces.
Shopping online is seen as a challenge because many women like being able to touch the clothing and the ability to try on various sizes. I get it, but if you utilize our size chart, it will help take some of the guesswork out for you and make choosing your appropriate size less daunting. I'm also more than happy to answer any questions you might have regarding fit. Just shoot me an e-mail! (anna@couleeboutique.com)
If you're not normally a boutique shopper, online shopper, or both, I'd ask that you give us a chance. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
xo,
Anna
I am a middle school math teacher in a small, rural school. While I love my job, I was looking for another way to express myself. I've been approached numerous times to join friends in their business ventures, but none of them felt right to me. I knew if I was going to do something other than teaching, it would be an opportunity I created for myself.
The idea of a boutique came to me when driving through our little town. There was a commercial space for rent and it got my wheels spinning. I knew I couldn't afford the overhead of a physical location and start-up costs, but thought online would be the route to go. I honestly have no experience running a business, but as a long-time shopper and "lurker" of other online boutiques, knew I could make it happen.
There are so many important things to take care of when starting a business, but I was hung up on what to name my boutique. I was dead-set on "Ladybird Boutique" because our last name often gets mispronounced as ladybird and I thought it had a sweet connotation about it. I was certain this would be the name so I even designed a few logo options. A quick Facebook search yielded about 8 other Ladybird Boutiques. Ughhh - back to the drawing board!
A couple weeks later, while dropping my daughter off at daycare, I was soaking in the beauty of the sunrise, rolling hills, marsh, and bridge-covered creek. That's when the name Coulee Boutique came to me. I love this slice of Earth I call home. The Coulee Region was formed by the flowing Mississippi River. It's not where I grew up, but it's where my kids will. This area has my heart. <3
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