| The Huntington County Tab
April 6, 2021
Ella Chic Boutique and Flourish & Flounce LLC had the official ribbon cutting for the opening of their joint brick and mortar store on Thursday, April 1, at 247 N. Main St., Roanoke.
Ella Chic Boutique Owner Stacy Callahan started her business as online-only five years ago. After a few months, she decided to do pop-up events instead.
A year into doing pop-up events, Callahan bought a mobile boutique and ran that for a couple of years.
“It was like a 30-foot-long FedEx truck that we put racks in and then there was a dressing room in the back,” Callahan said. “People could climb in and shop.”
Ella Chic Boutique Owner Stacy Callahan (left) and Flourish & Flounce LLC Owner Candice Munson cut the ribbon to celebrate opening a joint brick-and-mortar store at 247 N. Main St., Roanoke. Photo by Emily Wyatt
In January of 2020, Callahan saw space for rent in Roanoke and wondered about setting down roots.
“I thought it was an interesting idea. The truck was a lot of work,” Callahan said.
“I ended up selling the truck—the mobile boutique—during the pandemic and I opened my store that’s across the street from where I am now the first weekend that the governor allowed retail to open.”
Callahan said that business went well for Ella Chic Boutique even in the midst of the pandemic.
“I have only had a retail store during COVID-19,” Callahan said. “I always joke that I’ve never seen my customers’ faces because I’ve literally only seen them from the eyes up.”
Because of the success of the business, Callahan knew she needed to expand.
“I only had 400 square feet and I had no storage or backroom or anything like that,” Callahan said.
Though she saw the old bike shop in Roanoke was open to rent across the street, Callahan said she was still hesitant because she wasn’t sure she could manage the bigger space on her own.
While she was debating all these factors, Candice Munson, owner of Flourish & Flounce LLC (F&F), reached out to Callahan and asked if she knew of any space for rent in Roanoke.
After visiting the space together, Callahan and Munson decided to create a joint store.
“It’s been a fun experiment so far,” Callahan said.
According to their website, Ella Chic Boutique “carries high-quality clothing that makes women look good and feel great in sizes XS-3X.”
Flourish & Flounce LLC offers “original tabletop designs to spice up your dining room table that you can purchase one time or order as a yearly subscription.”
Business hours for the store are Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To use curbside services with Ella Chic Boutique, call or text 919-4945. Callahan can also be reached at info@ellachicboutique.com, on the business Facebook page or at ellachicboutique.com.
For Flourish & Flounce LLC, visit their Facebook page or flourishandflounce.com.
