Aug. 29, 2018

A women’s clothing boutique is the newest addition to the shops in the marketplace at the Jones421 building.

MK Threads Boutique moved into its 500-square-foot space on Phillips Avenue north of Sixth Street earlier this month.

“I love it, love it, love it,” said Melanie Huston, who owns the business with Kelly Grovijahn.

The two women, who met at a self-development conference, started MK Threads as an online venture with pop-up shops in March 2017. The boutique moved into a physical space a year ago in part of the downtown Nordic Hall.

The business is seeing more foot traffic in its new location, Huston said. “It’s a fun little community” of shop owners too, she said. The first tenants in the growing marketplace opened at the beginning of the year. The mix includes restaurants, a coffee shop and taproom, game store, fair trade retailer, florist and massage therapist. Above them are three floors of condominium units.

The boutique targets women who are “college age into their 60s, but our oldest customer is 85,” Huston said. “It’s not just junior sizes like some of the boutiques. It’s a fit that’s loose and flowing so that women are comfortable.”

In addition to clothing, MK Threads sells jewelry, purses and a few gift items such as tea towels and coffee mugs. It typically doesn’t carry shoes “because they take up too much room.”

The owners are still working out hours for the boutique.

“We’re closed Sunday and Monday,” Huston said. “Tuesday through Saturday there are different hours, but it’s roughly 10 to 6.”