Sunrise Boutique embraces community and style

by Stephen Dafoe
A new women’s clothing store has raised a ray of sunshine on 100 Avenue. Sunrise Boutique
opened recently at 10607 100 Avenue in the former Legendary Liquor location between Shell
and Pizza Hut. The shop offers women’s clothing and accessories in a bright, welcoming
environment.
“The Sunrise Boutique was created for myself as I was looking for something to do,” Sunrise
Boutique owner Deb O’Donoghue explained, noting she has always been an entrepreneur and
owned other businesses in the past. “I was bored at home, and I’m like, “What am I going to do?”
That question led to soul-searching and crafting a list of what makes O’Donoghue happy. Coffee
and sunrises were at the top of that list.
“We’re out in Sturgeon County, and I take pictures every day of the sunrise. Sunset is beautiful
too, but the sunrise and my coffee go together,” O’Donoghue said. “I had all of these pictures.
That makes me happy, so I started this list. What I also knew was the days that I got up, had my
coffee, showered, and put something nice on, I felt better. So, it [the businesses] came from all of
that. [I thought] I can probably put something together that other women would love.”
From those thoughts about what made her happiest, Sunrise Boutique was born, a woman’s
clothing store that is as much about community as the clothing available to customers.
“We need to bring back community. My other business always had a little sitting area and
coffee,” O’Donoghue said, adding that she created an area in the store for women who like to
come in and sit.”
Although an entrepreneur with many years of experience, selling clothing was new to her.
“I started it in my home. I was just doing open houses. I ended up with so many clothes I had to
move out,” O’Donoghue said with a chuckle. “I’m with the Garment Group, and it’s a company
where we have 25 wholesalers that they find for us.”
O’Donoghue said she initially found the variety a little overwhelming but started picking stuff
she loved.
“I’m going to bring stuff into the store that I love. If I love it, it’s coming to the store,” she said.
It’s really funny how when the orders started arriving, they just all kind of went together. You
could match them. You could turn outfits into it.”
Both her daughter and her son’s girlfriend help O’Donoghue at the store, both of whom the
proprietor says have been wonderful at putting together the store’s displays.

“Women are welcome to come in. We’re doing some events just to keep community and have
stuff for women to do,” O’Donoghue said, adding a sense of community, helping small
businesses, and a desire to keep things local is important to her. “If we have what they need,
they’ll shop local.”
Though open on 100 Avenue for a short time, the response has been great, with customers
thanking O’Donoghue for bringing her type of store to town and for having great prices.
“It makes me feel good,” O’Donoghue said. “It’s been busy or steady.”
Events like the Girls Just Want to Shop event, held July 25, are important to O’Donoghue and
Sunrise Boutique, a great example of how the shop owner wants to mix retail with a sense of
community.
“It’s just a place to come and have fun. Have a coffee–we always have free coffee on,”
O’Donoghue said. “We just want it to be a warm, welcoming place.”
Sunrise Boutique is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
They can be found on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093216884691&mibextid=LQQJ4d