Living Light Boutique has unique merchandise

Mother and daughter Misty Higdon and Rihanna Rowe recently opened two new Stockton Main Street businesses in the former Stitch and Chatter buildings. With an opening between the two buildings, the ladies work together during the daytime and evening hours, with plenty of help from their family members.

Rihanna’s business is called Living Light Boutique, located in the 300 block of Main Street. The name comes from the Bible verse John 8:12 about how Jesus is the Living Light.

Before opening the boutique, Rihanna and her family’s vision was a business that would serve the community and honor their faith. They took their dream to God in prayer, seeking his guidance and wisdom while they patiently waited for His perfect timing. They then remained faithful in their prayers and watched God’s will unfold before their eyes as doors opened and opportunities arose. So what was once just a hope in their hearts became a reality as they opened the doors a few months ago.

Recognizing a need for clothing that allows people to express their faith through fashion, the store is filled with high-quality Christian apparel. They continually receive new merchandise shipments every two to three weeks and have clothing from newborn outfits to men’s jeans. Rihanna stated, “We have clothes to fit from ‘Baby to 80.’” But that’s not all the Living Light Boutique carries. There are books, home décor, wreaths, toys, key chains, holiday items, candles, etc. They support other family businesses that make some of the items for their store, with the candles they purchase from a family farm in Missouri as their best sellers to date. Also, the store gets its coffee from a small business in Ohio, and the wreaths it sells are also from another family- owned business.

Living Light also does custom t-shirts, cups, bags, etc., for individuals or groups. Plus, there are always holiday items, deals, and sales for their customers.

Rihanna’s workday is definitely a blend of different hats. She starts out in the mornings arranging displays, checking inventory, and ensuring everything looks perfect for her customers. She seamlessly goes from stylist to salesperson to accountant to social media manager. She enjoys helping her customers find the perfect outfit as well as keeping up with the current fashion trends to ensure her stock remains fresh and appealing.

Evenings are spent reviewing the day’s sales, planning promotions, managing the inventory, bookkeeping, and placing orders with suppliers. She also updates the Facebook page with specials, holiday items, and sales, as well as conducts the online business (livinglightboutique. com), which has even more merchandise on display for those who love to shop sitting in the comfort of their homes.

Her husband, Chad, and her mom are by her side and help her throughout the day. Other family members also drop in, which adds to the warm atmosphere of the shop.

The Living Light Boutique’s hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The business number is 785-205-9066.

Rihanna and Misty, members of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, are also very involved in the community, holding fundraisers and sponsoring prizes during the town’s annual events.

They are humbled to be stewards of this new venture God has bestowed on them and look forward to seeing where their journey takes them.

(Misty’s Dance Gallery will be featured in an upcoming article.)