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Photo by Ingrid Schnader.
Michelle and Haleigh Smith inside their brick-and-mortar store, HaMi Boutique, located in the Dunnavant Square shopping center. HaMi Boutique currently carries around 30-35 vendors and offers clothing, shoes, jewelry, purses, hats and giftables.
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What began as an online boutique has grown into a new store in Dunnavant Square shopping center for Michelle and Haleigh Smith.
After doing several successful pop-up shops in Helena and at The Outlets at Grand River, Michelle and Haleigh decided it would be a good idea to open up a storefront for HaMi Boutique.
“I think it was late March or the first of April, we were getting such positive feedback at the outlet pop-ups,” Michelle said. “Our boutique started with some casual conversations, which turned into excitement about the future. After much prayer, we decided to open up our own brick-and-mortar boutique.”
After working in retail for 14 years, she realized she wanted to help customers and provide an in-person shopping experience.
While looking around at different places, Smith knew she didn’t want to be in a spot where she had to be open set hours every day. After checking out several areas around town, she said she felt like the Lord brought her to Dunnavant Square.
“I was praying for a 1,200-square-foot space, and this one is 1,160,” she said. “We were hoping to be open July 15, and it was seven weeks until we opened.”
The store’s name, HaMi Boutique, comes from a combination of the two letters of their first names.
Smith said the key to their philosophy is having a place that has clothing options for both mothers and daughters.
“We have tasteful, classy clothes,” Michelle said. “We also carry some high-end brands and some cut-to-order brands. We also have some blazers, suits and dresses for people who are going back to work.”
Everything that goes into the shop is handpicked, and Michelle said she wants her customers to find something to brighten their day — either for an event or everyday wear.
Haleigh, a senior at Harding University, said when they first started, over half of the clothing was geared toward young people, but now options are more even between younger and older women.
“We will wait and see what kind of response we get here,” Michelle said. “If someone wants a certain vendor, we can get that. Lot of brands are wide open, and we can’t wait to try some new vendors.”
HaMi Boutique currently carries around 30-35 vendors and offers clothing, shoes, jewelry, purses, hats and giftables. It also offers its own candle line with fun names including Sunday Nap, Simma Down Now and Hey Girl Hey.
Michelle said they feel like God has blessed them tremendously in this process.
“He has gone before us and found a person that did our build out,” she said. “My husband has built half the things in here. Friends have come out of the woodwork to help with merchandise and hang mirrors. I just don’t want to take any of the credit because I feel like God’s just blessed me so far.”
The Smiths now live in Chelsea, where they moved after raising their children in Helena. Michelle’s son graduated from Auburn University, and her husband works for EBSCO.
A friends and family event was held July 14, and HaMi’s official grand opening was July 15.
HaMi Boutique is located at 300 Carlow Lane, Suite 101, next to the Colorbar Hair Salon. It is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday.