New downtown women’s boutique opens

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A new women’s boutique will have its grand opening in the downtown area this coming Saturday.

The Curvy Closet, 115 W. Main St., will offer women’s clothing in sizes 14 and up, as well as jewelry, cell phone cases and other accessories.

Owner Missy Gehle said she began her business through a series of “pop-up” sales prior, and later decided to open up a more permanent location after the pop-up sales did well. The Rockford resident said having her own shop has always been a dream — one she used to talk about doing with her aunt while the two were driving to jobs in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Following her aunt’s death, though, Gehle said she began seriously thinking about making her dream come true.

“It got on my mind because of her,” she told board members and staff of the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday following a ribboncutting ceremony to mark the store’s opening.

Gehle and her husband, with help from family members and friends, renovated the former Thomas Edison Center store on West Main. The couple put in a new drop ceiling, removed the old carpeting and put in new flooring, and painted the walls, as well as installing two dressing rooms in the shop.

Gehle said the store’s grand opening will be held from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. this Saturday, November 25. The store will also be open during the day the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving.

Regular hours for the store will be 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, although Gehle said she plans to have extended hours through the Christmas shopping season.