MILLERSBURG – McKenna Van Keuren had a vision for a women’s clothing store that offered a little bit of everything, and the young proprietor of the Urban Farmgirl Boutique in MIllersburg believes her recently-opened shop on West Jackson Street (at the corner of North Washington) is just that.
“I want every woman to come in here and find something that they will love and use for a long time,” Van Keuren said. “I want them to find something that they will feel good in. That’s the main purpose for this store.”
Urban Farmgirl is a women’s clothing boutique, complete with a line of home goods and accessories.
The store carries a broad range of pants, overalls, sweaters and hats. The clothing options are meant to be both casual and dress.
“You can wear some of these items up or down,” she said. “It really just depends on what kind of look you are going for. We have both.”
The store also carries a full line of high-quality, organic-leather goods by Bed Stu, including hand bags and other products.
The store also carries a selection of locally made jewelry, along with a baby line designed by Van Keuren’s sister Taylor Swartz. Her line is called Taytortots.
Taytortots is a mixture of both bought and handmade items perfect for any child in your life, according to Swartz. Popular items include handmade snuggies with a natural teething ring and felt made mobiles.
The store, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., celebrated its grand opening in June.
“Things have been going really, really well,” she said. “I hope to create a website by 2023, which is my next big project.”
Millersburg is a town of ‘tiques’
Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau Executive Director Tiffany Gerber feels the new boutique is a great addition to the lineup of stores in downtown Millersburg.
“When asked to describe downtown to visitors, our staff usually starts with ‘Millersburg is known for tiques such as antiques and boutiques’ as well as artisans and fashions,” Gerber said.”From a tourism destination standpoint, I think it’s a great addition to downtown Millersburg.
“As we continue to add a variety of shopping options, it continues to make the downtown even more attractive to visitors as well as residents,” Gerber added. “I have met with the new owner and I am very impressed with her enthusiasm and energy.”
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Van Keuren notes that growing up with a pair of entrepreneurial parents, she had no choice but to come up with her own unique boutique. Jim Van Keuren is her father, who owns Sycamore Hollow Tree Farm near Nashville, and her mother Tracy runs Modern Farmhouse on state Route 39, just east of Millersburg.
“My parents really taught me the values of running your own business,” she said. “I learned how to treat people and talk with customers though them. My mom will definitely take full credit for that.”
Reach Kevin Lynch at 234-249-5294 or klynch@gannett.com.