From farm to fashion
The northeast lower peninsula offers an abundance of nature — rivers, beaches, forests and state and national recreational areas — and tidy small towns.
Settling into a rural area, however, comes with a price. The amenities found in more urban areas are exchanged for a more serene lifestyle. That often means choosing hobbies such as hunting, fishing and riding off-road vehicles over dining, shopping and other activities.
In Oscoda, a gateway to a host of outdoor activities in the region and home to restaurants, shops and other businesses, those amenities are growing, thanks to the opening of B-Trendy Boutique.
B-Trendy Boutique sells trendy clothing brands, accessories and Corky footwear, options less common to women in rural areas. The store, which opened in September, is the culmination of a years-long effort by Charina Dellar.
Dellar, who is married and a mother of four, began pursuing her clothing dream online while working on the family farm and raising her children. The family owns a crop farm, growing corn, soybeans, black beans, hay and wheat, in nearby Harrisville.
“My store offers boutique exclusive brands,” says Dellar, who tapped friends to help model clothes for her online business. “I choose high-quality items, focusing on carrying sizes for everybody, proudly stocking XS through 4XL in women’s clothing.”
B-Trendy operates in a storefront along U.S. 23, north of downtown Oscoda, and online. Moving from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs face some challenges, but Dellar seems to have taken them in stride. She handles both in-store and online business with aplomb.
“I do online live shows daily, which are so fun for me. I get to be myself and it’s like shopping with my best friends virtually,” says Dellar, who began her business online through a Facebook group.
“My online following is like family to me after all these years working with them. I look forward to building relationships with in-store customers like I have built online as my store continues to grow,” she adds.
B-Trendy Boutique, she says, offers a friendly and knowledgeable staff that will go above and beyond to ensure customers leave feeling amazing with their purchases.
“We want you to enjoy your experience shopping in person and online. We want to offer a safe space for you to be yourself and have a blast trying on and choosing styles with us,” Dellar says. “We offer one-on-one fit sessions (by appointment) and will help you grow your confidence in styling clothes that fit your body shape beautifully. I truly believe there is beauty in everyone. Helping a person realize that is why I do what I do.”
She says the funnest part of her job is making selections. Dellar selects everything in the store and focuses on providing a variety of options to her customers, ensuring there is something for every age, demographic and fit.
There were definitely obstacles while working from home, including navigating space to store inventory, she notes. And home doesn’t exactly provide the store-like ability to invite the public inside to shop.
Dellar has been married to her husband for 20 years. Among the children, one is in college, one in high school, and two in grade school.
“Friends and family supported me, and my online business grew from there,” she says.
“Oscoda is a great place for a boutique because you do have to travel quite a distance to find boutique brands with all sizes like we offer,” Dellar says.
The community has been welcoming and supportive of her business. The only worry she had opening up her storefront was that it wasn’t in downtown Oscoda, where there is regular foot traffic. Her highway location, however, has proven fruitful.
Oscoda has been a great place to own a business, she says, noting the hard-working locals are always looking to create fun events and there is a steady stream of tourists.
“Lots of clothing stores are popping up in and around Oscoda now,” Dellar says. “It is so cool to see. Local business owners are very supportive of each other.”
She would love to expand in the future with a second location but, in the meantime, plans to focus on being present for her online community and working to grow her Oscoda location.
She says her four children are heavily involved in sports. Running a farm and boutique, Dellar tries her best to never miss a game. While Dellar wears many different hats, she says being a mom is the most important job she has.
Dellar’s passion for fashion started when she was a child.
“I have loved fashion since I was a little girl. Having an open/unique style, and eye for pairing styles and colors is my specialty,” Dellar says.
Dellar’s advice to women who are inspired to open their own businesses is to get their finances in order, have a plan, and execute it.
“The sky’s the limit for anyone and everyone is capable of doing the things they set their mind to,” she says. “If you live in a small town and are interested in fashion, go for it! Your community will be a rock for you and will want to support you. Just be yourself and never stray from your roots.”
Sarah Ratledge is a Metro Detroit native. In addition to working full-time in the trades, she is a freelance writer. She frequently contributes to Rural Innovation Exchange and UPword and has also written for Issue Media Group’s Input Fort Wayne.
