New boutique store in Idaho Falls helps customers ‘dress like a million bucks on a budget’
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BIZ BUZZ
IDAHO FALLS
Owner of new boutique store wants customers to feel like they’re on a treasure hunt
IDAHO FALLS — Crystal Miles was raised on the mantra of “dress like a million bucks on a budget,” and it’s been her lifelong dream to open a brick-and-mortar boutique store.
The 52-year-old woman got her wish last month when she opened Aurum Grove Boutique at 3630 South 25th East, Suite 9, in Idaho Falls. It opened on Aug. 15 next door to The Nail Factory in the new retail strip near Burly Burger, Honey Baked Ham, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and other tenants.
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Miles tells EastIdahoNews.com that “aurum” is a Latin word for gold. She has gold tags on all the items in the store because she considers it a treasure hunt to provide inventory, and she wants a treasure-hunting shopping experience for customers.
“You come and you have fun. We play dress up. I want it to just be a unique shopping experience,” Miles says.
The store is targeted mainly to women and offers everything from home decor, jewelry and accessories, to shoes, hats, clothes, gift baskets and other “treasures.”
Miles says customer turnout in the last month has been “incredible.”
“It’s been amazing,” says Miles. “A lot of the women that have come in are sharing on social media to help me advertise. Many of the customers I’m getting are referrals (from those social media posts).”
Miles has had a fashion sense since she was a little girl and the store is the realization of a lifelong dream. It stems back to her childhood in southern California when her mom instilled in her the concept of “dressing like a million bucks on a budget.”
“My mother was not financially set, so she taught us how to dress like a million bucks at a $5 store,” Miles says. “People always thought we were the rich kids, and we certainly weren’t. We just knew how to carry ourselves and how to dress.”
Crafting is another lifelong interest for Miles, so it made sense for her to open a boutique store. She started selling these kinds of items online years ago as a side hustle in her long career as a bartender, which has taken her all over the world.
Her dad, James Poulsen, who lives in Idaho Falls, is her connection to eastern Idaho. Her parents divorced when she was a kid, so she spent a lot of time in both states. She graduated from high school in Idaho Falls and briefly attended Idaho State University in Pocatello.
She moved back to Idaho Falls last year to take care of Poulsen, who is having some health challenges. During that time, she was involved in opening Soiled Dove, a speakeasy at 361 B Street in downtown Idaho Falls.
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“I was lucky enough to open that cute little spot with them and do a little work, but the caretaking became a little too much (to hold down a job),” she says.
The idea for opening the boutique store is something she’d been working on for several years, but as caretaking got more involved, she needed a source of income and she felt the time was right to make her dream a reality.
She loves the downtown area and that’s where she originally wanted to open, but there wasn’t any space available. Growth on the east side of town prompted her to look for a space in that area, and that led her to the building on 25th East.
Miles is thrilled to have a business in a high-density traffic area close to her home.
“There’s going to be a lot more development coming through,” she says. “The Skidmores (who own the building) have been fantastic with my buildout and helping me choose the right location.”
Miles has high hopes for Aurum Grove and hopes to add more inventory and amenities in the future. She wants to see the business continue to grow and expand.
“It’s my special little nook, and my whole goal is to create a nice shopping experience,” she says.
BIZ BITS
Public invited to ribbon-cutting for 2 new businesses
IDAHO FALLS – The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the opening of two new business on Friday.
It’s a hosting a ribbon-cutting for Prime Trucks, a used car dealership, at 150 Science Center Drive. It’s happening at 10 a.m.
Then at 1 p.m., the chamber is having another ribbon-cutting for Mountain View Hospital Imaging Center and Urology Association building at 2235 East 25th.
Oktoberfest returns to downtown Idaho Falls with new interactive game
IDAHO FALLS – The Idaho Falls Downtown Development Corporation is gearing up for the annual Oktoberfest celebration this weekend.
This Saturday from 3-7 p.m., Park Avenue in downtown Idaho Falls will be transformed into a vibrant hub of Bavarian culture for an evening of community, food and fun.
Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their best folk festival costumes for a chance to win prizes.
Prepare for a new game like no other. Shitzengiggles is a Bavarian-themed take on the legendary chicken bingo. A custom oversized bingo board is marked with the logos of generous event sponsors. The game begins when a pampered chicken from the local Cowboy Warrior Ranch is placed on the board. The suspense builds as the crowd watches, cheering on the chicken until … nature calls. The square where the chicken “drops” its mark is the winning spot!
Bingo cards will be available for purchase for $5 each. All proceeds support the mission of the IFDDC, and a portion of the funds will be donated to the Snake River Animal Shelter.
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