LC Women In Business 2016-2017

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Kate Walker
Mary Lee Busick
K ateWalker never saWherself
as a small business owner. She’d worked
hard to earn her nursing degree and loved
her job, but, when her best friend opened
a Mainstream Boutique in Winston-
Salem, North Carolina, Kate began to
dream. Fast forward a few years, and Walker is now the
owner of not one but two boutiques that sell casual wom-
en’s clothing. She opened her first Mainstream Boutique in
2013 in Florence, South Carolina,
where she lives with her husband
and son. Kate knew from the start that she wanted to open
two or three stores and recently open a second location in
Mount Pleasant’s Belle Hall Shopping Center with the help
of her mother, Mary Lee Busick.
When Walker started researching locations, her mother
said, “If you open a store in Charleston, I want to do it with
you.” The two have a great working relationship and bring
different strengths to the business. Busick worked for years
in marketing and communications and loves promoting the
store, while her daughter gets excited about buying, manag-
ing store operations and working with the staff.
Mainstream Boutique is a franchise, and there are cur-
rently 78 boutiques across the country, with a flagship store
in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Walker said the pros of own-
ing a franchise are many, but what she enjoys most is the
freedom to customize her store to fit her customers’ needs.
“I choose all of the inventory and make the buying deci-
sions. The company encourages owners to put a personal
spin on their individual store,” Walker said.
Mainstream Boutique Mount Pleasant opened on Oct.
1, 2015, the same day as a massive flood.
“Not even a hurricane could hold us back!” Walker
laughed. “We were standing there in our rain boots, send-
ing home our staff, but, thankfully, people still came out
to shop.”
Busick rented a condo nearby and was able to manage
the store while Walker commuted from Florence. (Busick
will move from her Florida home to Daniel Island in June.)
Now that the water has receded, mother and daughter are
happy to report steady sales and a growing customer base. It
took about a year of preparations to open the store; Walker
and Busick worked hard to get the details just right.
“Mom made the dressing room curtains and was key in
choosing the décor,” Walker pointed out.
Walker described the selection at Mainstream Boutique
as trendy and unique. They also have accessories and a selec-
tion of shoes.
“When clients come to us, they find quality products, a
unique selection and a good price. But what’s most impor-
tant is their experience. We offer a personal touch – because
when you run a small business, good customer relationships
are really important. It’s what keeps you going.”
Photo courtesy of Mainstream Boutique.
Mainstream Boutique
644 Long Point Road, Unit 1
Mount Pleasant
843-936-3324
By AMy MerCer