Rising From the Ashes
The Cheesecake Boutique's Renaissance
By Stephanie Fortener-Atwood |
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Who among us can forget January's devastating fire in Grandview? The Cheesecake Boutique was one of several local businesses completely destroyed by the flames. The river of emotions felt that day washed over mother-daughter store owners Betsy and Ashley Johnston, as they recounted that tragic morning.
"This store is our lifeblood, not a hobby. This is who we are and what we do," Betsy said. Ashley watched the unfolding disaster from the street - while sick with the flu and in pajamas, no less. She echoed her mother's sentiment.
"Our regular customers are more like family, and they were right there crying with us in the bitter cold," remembered Ashley.
As the shock began to sink in, reality took over. Was the fire a way out of the tough times wrought by the struggling economy? The economy's effect on retail was especially unforgiving. Store after store was forced out of business, and every day it seemed another national chain announced bankruptcy. But this mother-daughter team, along with Betsy's other daughter and co-owner Jessica Carle, wasn't ready to settle in the ashes.
From the gate, this boutique had a lot of heart and soul. All three ladies hail from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, bringing combined decades of retail experience to their customers. At Express, Betsy worked with all aspects of corporate retail. Jessica honed her skills in high-end boutique buying, and Ashley worked for big names like White House Black Market and Kenneth Cole.
Cheesecake Boutique reopened after the Grandview fire earlier this year.
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Opening her own boutique has long been Betsy's dream. In 2004, Ashley, who recently relocated to Columbus, spotted the perfect location in old Dublin. On March 4, 2005, Betsy's dream came to life: Cheesecake Boutique's doors opened at their original Dublin location.
After a year and a half of commuting from South Carolina, Betsy and husband Joe made the move to Columbus. The Grandview store opened shortly thereafter. Everything was going smoothly until January 17, when the fire claimed their store, along with more than a dozen others.
Phoenix Rising
These ladies are no quitters. In the face of a gloomy economy, they chose to move forward.
"We had an outpouring of support and encouragement from our clients," Ashley explained. "We received hundreds of emails, and everyone rallied."
Betsy recalls the poignant words of her husband and best friend: "I didn't move here for you to fall apart and give up. If you fail, that's fine - but fail trying."
And with that, there was no looking back.
New Beginnings
Betsy, Ashley, and Jessica celebrated the boutique's grand reopening on August 15th with clients, family, and friends. The new Lane Avenue location boasts a much larger space - which means more great finds for customers. The three are committed to choosing designs that work for their clients.
"We want the client to look at our store and say, 'That goes with my life,'" Ashley said. This means looking for quality designers who know what they're doing, and do it well. The boutique, which caters to women from their mid-20's to 70-plus, carries styles by BCBG, Laundry, Tribal, Three Dots, and more. Many pieces cannot be found anywhere else in Columbus. You aren't going to see crazy trends, just clothes that really fit. Each item is hand-selected. "Helping a customer look good and feel confident is so rewarding," Betsy said.
Perhaps most unique about Cheesecake Boutique is the way they cater to their customers. "We give the same level of attention to each customer," says Betsy. "It doesn't matter if she comes in once every couple of months or can buy the whole store. This is a sacred value to us."
Cheesecake Boutique
1760 Lane Ave.
(614) 481.0400
www.cheesecakeboutique.net
Originally Published: September 1, 2009
