Boutique celebrates anniversary by boosting other Cleveland County businesses
Four years ago, Keelee Jones purchased a small vinyl cutter so she could make custom birthday t-shirts and sell them online. Today, that little online business has grown into its own brand of western-style clothes, one that has won multiple awards and ships its products all over the country.
"I never expected something like this to happen," said Jones from the floor of Magnolia Mill. "But now that it has, I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
Located on Main Street in Boiling Springs, Magnolia Mill specializes in graphic t-shirts, bell bottoms, shoes and jewelry.
"We are pretty much a one-stop shop. We are a big place for people who want to buy concert outfits or rodeo outfits," said Jones.
The shop's interior matches the rustic aesthetics of the clothes sold there. Steer skulls, many crafted by Jones, line the walls and are painted on the business' front windows. Some of those skulls, bedazzled in a number of custom designs, are some of the best sellers on the Magnolia Mill web store.
"It is unique. They sell a bit of everything," said Gracie Patrick, of Ellenboro, who has made regular trips to Magnolia Mill since its opening. "They have done really good here. Everybody that comes in here likes them."
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Customers who need help deciding what to buy can always turn to Magnolia Mills' own furry concierge, a miniature Australian Shepperd named Benny, who happily greets shoppers at the door and sees them off when they leave.
Last week marked the four-year anniversary of Magnolia Mill opening its retail location.
"When we opened we had only eight styles of shirts and some jewelry. We didn't have any of the denim, and we shared this building with another business. It has just exploded," said Jones. "Now we have this whole place. We have more shirts in here than I could count, and we are sending stuff all over the country. A lot of it goes to New Mexico but we also send to Montana, Arizona, California and Texas."
Given the volatility of the last few years, that success isn't something Jones has taken for granted.
In celebrating her own business' success, Jones arranged a pop-up shop for multiple local small businesses outside of Magnolia Mill on Saturday.
"Some of them are newer businesses. I'm hoping we can put them in front of a crowd of new people and help make them successful as well," she said.
Jones said she hopes to continue to grow Magnolia Mill even more in the coming year. She's recently invested in a mobile boutique which she plans to carry to rodeos in the area, and hopes to one day build a new, larger building for her business.
Magnolia Mill is located at 108 N. Main St. in Boiling Springs. Their website is magnoliamill.com.
This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Boiling Springs boutique celebrates by boosting other local businesses
