Opening up a storefront is hard enough, throw in a pandemic, and well, many would probably lose hope. But one Fulshear boutique is showing resilience during these uncertain times by bringing the community together in ways they never knew they needed.
"It's just a great place to have. And for sure, we're very lucky to have them," said shopper Paula Nordt.
"We had a fabulous grand opening and, then all of a sudden, towards the end of February, COVID-19 came," co-owner Roxie Diaz said.
Not even a month after opening her first store-front, Roxie and her co-owner Wendell were forced to close their doors.
Instead of wallowing in their sorrows, they used the time to expand and turn an ordinary backyard into a jaw-dropping, Talavera pottery oasis.
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"We knew we wanted to have a place where we could have a little venue, where we could have somebody play a guitar or have some festivals where we had other artists come in to the store," Diaz said. "We just want to have it at a place where the community can gather and they can come and, you know, have a cold drink and maybe even a throw some horseshoes."
With so much uncertainty of when we'll be able to gather again, Roxie and Wendell are using their store-front to showcase handmade, local artists' jewelry, unique custom wood and acrylic pens, watercolor paintings, and these hand-crafted wooden boxes.
"This is what I do as a hobby. Most of them are jewelry boxes, and little whatnot boxes to put your rings in or you change in it," said co-owner Wendell Smith.
The boutique is so big and offers so much, many customers said they have to make several stops.
"It's just a delight to come shop and be surprised by what's new," said shopper Paula Nordt.
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Like many local businesses adjusting to the times, the Brown Eyed Girl is selling face shields, an item that's certainly turning heads.
Roxie said all of this started with her adding her niche to Mexican clothing.
"I took the Pueblo dress and then I cut it and made it like crop top, with a skirt added Palm Palm." she said.
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