Flirt Boutique Celebrates 15th Anniversary In Rochester
Photographer / Lana King
Flirt Boutique, located in Rochester, is sure to woo you from the moment you walk in the door. Treva Mulligan, owner of the boutique, has successfully run the business since it opened in 2005.
Mulligan originally opened Flirt Boutique in October 2005. She wanted to help create a better downtown for Rochester, and a one-of-a-kind boutique seemed to be the perfect thing. It would help draw people of all ages to the area, boosting tourism.
“I wanted Flirt [Boutique] to be a great foundation to build a better downtown shopping experience,” Mulligan says.
Along with her two employees, Katie Troutman and Sarah Reynolds, Mulligan creates an atmosphere that is more than just a store — shopping at Flirt Boutique is an experience. There are plenty of clothes, shoes, accessories and gifts to look through, ensuring that customers are sure to find the perfect item. Their Facebook page, Flirt Boutique, is filled with adorable outfits, fun questions and plenty of pictures of smiling customers.
If you do not get the opportunity to visit Flirt Boutique in person, you can browse their shop online at shopflirtrochester.com. There, you can view their full line of clothing, shoes, accessories, baby items and more. With name brands like TOMS, Lakegirl, Fossil, and Kendra Scott, you can get quality products at great prices.
Not only will you find trendy, fashionable clothes and accessories, but there are plenty of gifts to choose from, too. Beauty brands like Capri Blue and TokyoMilk offer an opportunity to pamper yourself from head to toe, complete with sugar scrubs, lip balms, lotions and perfumes. You can also find home decor, with bowls, mugs, picture frames and other things to make your home cozy and welcoming.
Flirt Boutique also offers a limited selection of wedding-themed items, like wedding planning journals and “Bride” themed mugs and tumblers. And even though the holidays are still months away, it’s never too early to start looking for gifts for the important people in your life. Flirt Boutique has a select number of ornaments for the loved ones in your life. Finally, the Happy Everything brand that the store features reflects the joyous, energetic attitude that Mulligan, her employees and their customers all share.
“I wanted to create a place where mothers, daughters, friends and family can spend an enjoyable day of shopping,” Mulligan says. “After 15 years in the business, we are honored to have become a destination shop for a day of shopping that offers a big city feel with a small-town atmosphere.”
The small-town atmosphere comes through in plenty of ways. Their customer service is top-notch, people come back again and again because of the great service and attention they receive from the Flirt Boutique team. It is easy to treat customers with kindness and lots of attention. Interacting with people is Mulligan’s favorite part of the business.
“Our customer service cannot be matched,” she says. “You’ll experience the type of courteous help and attention that just isn’t available anywhere else.”
Beyond serving their customers energetically, Mulligan and her team focus a lot on contributing back to the community. She tries to give back whenever she can. Since opening Flirt Boutique, Mulligan says she has become much more aware of the needs of the community.
“Flirt [Boutique] has become a great platform to give back to the community,” she says. “While running a downtown business, you become aware of the [community’s] needs — whether that be the food pantry, animal shelter or individuals.”
The support from the community makes it easy for Mulligan to give back. As much as she has done to revitalize the downtown area in the last 15 years, she would not have been able to do it without the support of the community and the support of her husband.
“[I] could not have done it without the amazing support system of my husband, James Mulligan,” she explains. “His [faithful] and willing support has been with me every step of the way.”
The support she receives is invaluable, As a small business owner, Mulligan says that she faces many challenges. None of them defeat her, though. Mulligan takes on every challenge as a way to grow, learn and develop.
“There are many obstacles to overcome when running your own business,” she says. “It’s important to be flexible and understanding as issues arise. I view them as teaching lessons to better my business and grow.”
You can visit Flirt Boutique Monday through Friday between 10 am and 6 pm, or on Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. You can also check them out online on their Facebook page, Flirt Boutique, or on their website, shopflirtrochester.com. For more information, give them a call at 574-224-4759. Flirt Boutique is located at 625 Main Street in Rochester.