FULTON – Although 2020 has not gone as planned, Jackie Wilkin has much to be grateful for this year.
She and her sister-in-law and “right-hand gal” Kayla Wilkin opened Rooted Boutique in late summer, curating a space for self-expression and good old-fashioned shopping.
Rooted, 1021 Fourth St. downtown, is so named because it is rooted in faith, family, friends, and fashion, said Jackie, whose vision is to “find what you love, plant those roots deep, and let us help you look great along the way.”
The shop is the fulfillment of Jackie’s lifelong dream to put her fashionista skills on display. She loved getting new outfits as a child, and always wanted clothes instead of toys for birthday gifts. Now her gift and clothing boutique allows her to do what she loves – shop with people all day long.
Jackie and Kayla launched Rooted online in February, and opened in the former Words of Wisdom Christian Bookstore 6 months later, on Aug. 21. They’ve been greeted with solid local support ever since, and shoppers also have come from across the region, many stopping to explore the rest of the downtown.
“The community is hungry for something like this,” said Jackie, who rents the boutique space from the Downtown Retail Development Group, which did an extensive amount of work to the aged building to bring it up to code.
The interior – with yellowed walls and old blue carpet – needed a makeover, so Jackie and Kayla spent the spring and summer working alongside contractors, helping where they could (mostly painting) and preparing for the August opening.
Rooted carries a wide selection of clothing, sleepwear, denim, hats, shoes, bar and hand soaps, bath bombs, candles, jewelry, winter accessories, purses, tumblers, and hair accessories. A comfortable, pastel-colored fitting area allows shoppers to try on their finds and get some friendly feedback.
Jackie has made it a mission to find and carry sizes for every body type. “We aim to provide a personalized shopping experience at Rooted,” she said with a smile.
She also carries Copper Pearl baby products such as head wraps, hats, breast feeding covers, swaddle blankets, burp clothes, and bibs.
Rooted Boutique is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Go to www.therootedboutique.com or follow it on Facebook and at @getrootedboutique on Instagram.