We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abbey Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Abbey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

This chapter of my life came to be rather unexpectedly. We had just welcomed 2017, and I was a tired stay-at-home mom raising two toddlers and starving to find myself again. (If you have ever done the whole SAHM gig, you know exactly what this means.) I knew my creative, fun, and worthy self was buried underneath somewhere but I wasn’t quite sure how to dig her out. So when my mother-in-law, Mary, suggested we join forces and create a boutique in our small town, my initial reaction was NO. Zero chance. I am NOT your girl. She drove a hard bargain though and came to the conversation prepared. Her confidence and creativity were just what I needed to ignite the fire inside of me and start the slow-burn process of unearthing my creative self again.

Plans fell into place, and within six short months, Bromley & Brown Boutique was up and running on Main St. We had no idea where this road would lead, but the passion and excitement that we both felt made our vision come to life and confirmed to us that we were headed down the right path. It didn’t take long for our little shop to become a popular destination, and I quickly learned that being a part of this new adventure was the extra boost I needed to feed my soul.

Becoming a small business owner in your hometown has many perks, but it also comes with extra fears of failure like letting down the community you’ve been a part of your entire life. No pressure, right? Our Main St. was also just starting to come back to life, and Mary and I were only the second women’s clothing boutique to give it a shot. The waters were unchartered, but we were hopeful and courageous and, in the end, considered to be trailblazers for the positive ripple effect that took place in our town. To this day, I hold so much pride in being a part of the revitalization of our downtown. This town holds my heart and is where many of my family and friends still call home today. There have been many along the way who have scoffed at the idea of moving home after college and raising a family in the same small town in which I was raised. But in my experience, being back home and continuing my pursuit of making it a better place has contributed to more joy and fulfillment than I could have ever imagined.

This would be the perfect place to wrap up my story in a pretty little bow. But as most know, life doesn’t always play out the way we think it should and unfortunately the path sometimes becomes a little bumpy. Before we set out on our quest to become boutique owners, Mary was diagnosed with cancer. We all knew the prognosis wasn’t the best, but time after time Mary defied the odds and proved that her faith would not be shaken. She was a true warrior and fought her battle with so much dignity and grace. She worked at our shop, making others feel beautiful and loved up until she physically could no more. I know being in the place we created together, surrounded by the tangible things we dreamt up also brought her joy and I would like to think it kept her going just a bit longer.

On the morning of Christmas Eve 2022, we lost the Bromley of Bromley & Brown Boutique. It was a mess of emotions losing not only my business partner but also my mother-in-law who had been a part of my life for 20 years. This turn in the road lead down a hard path, but when I least expected it, the terrain smoothed and I was able to turn my grief and sadness into inspiration.

Now this didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took months upon months to finally dig out of the emotional hole I was in. But once I did, I remembered that Mary and I found so much joy and peace within the walls of our shop. The idea of continuing on the same way became my mission and something I continue to pursue in her honor.

It has now been 7 years since we first took that leap of faith and opened our doors, and 2 years since I have taken over the reins alone. Although many things do feel different, my initial drive and passion as a business owner have only grown deeper and stronger. To this day, I still find joy in helping others to look and feel their most beautiful self, and the pride of seeing my shop on Main St. never gets old. It’s a grind, a lot of work, and not always “rainbows and roses”, but being the Brown of Bromley & Brown Boutique will always be a part of who I am and a legacy I want to continue not only for myself, but also for Mary.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Abbey Brown and I am the Brown of Bromley & Brown Boutique, located in Streator, IL. My late mother-in-law and I dreamt up our boutique in 2017 as a place for women in our hometown to find trendy and affordable fashion. We would always have to venture out of town for a new outfit or something pretty to give as a gift. I am happy to have created a business that allows our community to shop locally and provide women with trending yet affordable style. Our boutique has grown over the years and we now not only offer women’s clothing, but also handbags, jewelry, shoes and most recently the addition of Brown Apothecary which features hand-poured candles in thrifted vintage vessels. I came up with this idea over the summer and have had the best time creating products for this collection. Other items from Brown Apothecary include bath shots, floral bookmarks and simmer pot kits.

As a wife and mother of three, I am busy and find life to be overwhelming at times. I have been using this as my inspiration over the years to bring in products and clothing lines to make life feel easier for busy moms like me. I also enjoy providing fashion that feels comfortable but still looks put together. Nothing helps your confidence more than when you feel good about what you are wearing. It truly changes everything.

Bromley & Brown Boutique is located in my hometown, so I obviously have a deep love for my community. This passion has also inspired me to create the Streator Downtown Business Association in an effort to coordinate with all of the local businesses on Main St. This group works together to put on events and bring more people to our town. It is a new venture but something I know will be beneficial and successful for downtown Streator and I can’t wait to see the great things that blossom from it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

By nature, I am a creature of habit and love the cozy feeling you get when you know what to expect. Being prepared and organized for whatever is about to come my way was just a way of life for me and something I expected to continue doing for the rest of eternity. Ok, yes, this does sound like a control freak issue, but I liked to consider myself more of a “planner”.

Then in 2013, I got married and in 2014, I became a mom. This is where the control, I mean “planner”, part of me begins to unravel. From the moment you find out you are expecting, the control you have starts to slip from the grips of your fingertips. Then when you have your child, knowing what is around the corner becomes a distant memory and you better learn how to roll with the punches. This was my first taste of learning to be more “go with the flow”, but since then we have added two more children and a business to our platter so being flexible is something I strive for daily.

On the business side of things, I also found myself strict with a routine at the beginning but learned (the hard way) that was not the way to go. Like having a baby, things change on a daily basis and you have to really be prepared for anything. Just because one week is good in sales, doesn’t mean the next week or that same week the next year will be good. In fact, it might end up being the worst week so having this understanding and not getting down on yourself is pivotal for running a business in this day and age. In retail especially, trends are ever-changing and consumers have different needs on a monthly (sometimes weekly) basis. Giving myself the ability to roll with the punches better has been crucial in managing through the harder weeks and creating new game plans for what will be successful in the future.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

My business partner was my mother-in-law and someone I had known for the better part of 20 years. I know it sounds risky mixing family and business, but hear me out.

My husband and I started dating in high school so Mary and I created a strong relationship over the course of time. When someone is a part of your life from the age of 17-37, you walk through some major life changes and milestones together. Mary often felt like more than just a mother-in-law to me and held a special place in my heart.

For as long as I knew her, Mary was a woman of classic beauty. She always looked good and styled herself and her home with a rare effortlessness that seemed to just come naturally. I remember being in high school and hearing her talk about what it would look like if she had her own clothing store. Everything down to the type of tissue paper and gift bags was thought out and dreamt of. Her dream never seemed to dissipate as 15 years later, at NYE dinner, she proposed we go into business together.

I wasn’t confident about my role as a business owner right out of the gate, but Mary knew exactly what this could be and her vision led me out of my comfort zone and into a whole other world of opportunity. You see, my initial reaction was fed by the fact that I was a SAHM at the time, I had a degree in Journalism and my dream was always to be a published author. A boutique owner was never on my radar but I was willing to take the leap and see where the road took me.

Now it has been over 7 years since that dinner and a lot has changed along the way. Unfortunately, cancer claimed the life of my beloved business partner 2 years ago. It hasn’t been easy without her, but knowing that I am keeping her dream and vision alive is something that brings me peace and makes me feel closer to her every day. She was a true gem, and I am grateful she shared her dream with me and convinced me to hop along for the ride.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bromleyandbrownboutique.com/
• Instagram: @bromleyandbrownboutique
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bromleyandbrownboutique
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-brown-aa3305331/
• Other: https://dearabbey.org/

Image Credits

Photo Credit for Brown Apothecary photos: Lindsey Tieman