Ever visit a thrift store that left you feeling a little tingly? This was how I felt after visiting Beautiful Lives Boutique in Siloam Springs, Arkansas a few months ago. I thought I had simply stumbled upon an elegant, affordable, and upscale boutique, but when I paid for my merchandise, I learned a lot more. First I learned that there are two other locations in the area. I was also given an opportunity to make my dollar stretch a bit further by supporting their Charity Partner of the Month- one of 10 charities which directly benefits women who’ve been victims of a host of unfavorable circumstances like incarceration, domestic abuse, trafficking, and more. Over the subsequent months I had occasion to patronize other Beautiful Lives locations and continued to feel a sense of inspiration.

I decided to feature Beautiful Lives on my weekly podcast, “The Dixiecast” in the hopes of sharing this retail shopping opportunity with others who like me, love to save money while simultaneously supporting others in need. After an employee in the Siloam Springs location gave me the name of a Beautiful Lives Board Member, Diane Higgins, I arranged to tour all 3 locations and eventually interview her at Fayetteville Public Television, where I record most of my podcast episodes.

I started my tour with the Bentonville store located at 1327 S Main St. This store has great visibility and plenty of designated parking. The first thing I noticed upon entry was the cheerful lighting. The store is surrounded by windows and therefore there’s a ton of natural happy lighting streaming in from all angles. The Bentonville store offers a little bit of everything without feeling too overwhelming as I personally have experienced in other more corporate thrift stores. The layout, in relation to its size, is manageable and inviting. It’s not as large and compartmentalized as the Fayetteville store and not as small as Siloam Springs location; but like all the Beautiful Lives stores, the quality of merchandise stands out.  The benefit of buying used is the knowledge that the clothing has been sifted through and screened by local volunteers who do this everyday and know what is fashionable. I’m not saying these clothes are all made in America but because they’re sold used, the benefit is retained locally. There’s a real satisfaction in purchasing from an entity that you know is actively working to make other people’s lives better.

 The Siloam Springs store is located at 103 N Mt Olive St and is the store I’ve most frequently patronized. I’m told that a lot of the students and employees of John Brown University frequent the Siloam Springs location. I was overjoyed to find a leather Fossil over the shoulder purse for $20.00 and some Christmas sweaters for those obligatory parties. I regularly see brands like Coldwater Creek, J Jill, Banana Republic, Guess and Ann Taylor just to name a few. I also see some occasional Old Navy and also brands that are unique to stores like Target. Another thing to note about the Siloam Springs store is it’s located downtown, therefore it’s very walkable should you decide to patronize some of the other cute downtown shops. Though I did not observe designated parking, there is plenty of street parking. Each of the stores has a little sitting area with complimentary coffee and they all have fancy-feeling dressing rooms with pretty fluffy curtains.

Lastly, the Fayetteville store located at 245 E Township St is actually their flagship store and is by far their largest store. This makes good sense to me as it’s located in closest proximity to the University of Arkansas and is on a well traveled intersection just off College Ave. What I love about the Fayetteville store is its organization, every room is labeled with a big sign above the door denoting the merchandise you’ll find inside. For example there are rooms marked “Tops, Coats, Pants and Dresses directly above the door so there is no confusion what’s inside. There’s also a comfy and elegant sitting area in the middle of the store where I’ll often see nursing moms or children playing with toys from what I believe is a toy basket that belongs to the store. How well thought-out to have such an area in the middle of the store! In addition to several clothing rooms there’s a vast and impressive shoe area  all organized by size. In all their stores I observed formal wear and even wedding gowns which is such a wonderful offering. Ever price formal wear? What a blessing to find a stylish variety especialy in this economy at affordable prices!

My interview with Diane corroborated what I’d suspected about Beautiful Lives Boutique; it’s run well by women who care about women. She is gracious, kind and is exactly the kind of person I expected to hold a leadership role.

This is a retail outlet where women, regardless of socioeconomic status can buy something pretty and of good quality without the pressure that might otherwise come with such a purchase. There’s a little something here for every woman, and who doesn’t like to save a little money?  I’m so grateful to have discovered a store that doesn’t stop at providing affordable apparel for those in need but rather, that goes the extra step to ensure there’s dignity in the experience.  As I was leaving the Fayetteville store I noticed a sign in the coffee area near the door that read “Please let us know how we can pray for you.”  and that put a smile on my face. All these things coupled by a caring and kind staff makes for an edifying and uplifting shopping experience.

According to their website, Beautiful Lives Mission Statement is “To serve with a purpose to lift women and mend community locally and globally.” The charities they support can be found on their website. For more information please view the podcast episode at: https://youtu.be/1t8vaxMOWO0 or visit https://www.beautifullivesboutique.com/