Nov. 2, 2022

The sign has changed at a locally owned Phillips Avenue boutique.

TH Grey is now called Veza. The store at 330 S. Phillips Ave. is owned by Ondrea Stachel, who moved to Sioux Falls from Minnesota in 2021. She’s the third owner for the boutique, which opened online in 2016 and downtown the following year.

“My original goal was to take on a new challenge, meet new people and have fun doing it,” Stachel said.

“I feel good about how far we’ve come and proud of what we’ve accomplished. It has been fantastic getting to know people not only through shopping experiences but also through events we’ve hosted. It’s also granted me the opportunity to get to know other small-business owners in our community and create unique partnerships with them.”

The name Veza means “connection” in Serbian.

“I knew I wanted to change the name but only wanted to change if I could land on something that meant something to me,” Stachel said. “I wanted something simple, meaningful and memorable. My absolute favorite part of owning the store has been connecting with all of the people that walk through the door, and with that, I landed on Veza.”

She has made minor aesthetic improvements to the space, including new furniture, paint and a dressing room refresh.

“However, the biggest change is that over the course of the past year I’ve been in the process of moving all the brands we carry to have meaning,” she said.

That includes looking for brands that practice sustainability, philanthropy and are owned or led by women and locally sourced.

“There are so many amazing brands doing good in the world that I feel it’s important to support them and share their stories with others,” Stachel said.

Her goal with the store is “creating an experience bigger than just shopping,” she said. “I hope I can continue to meet people and build a brand people enjoy interacting with.”

The store will host a launch party from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday with live music, food and beverages, discounts and giveaways.