Another women’s clothing boutique has opened in downtown Wausau. But Raissa Dupuis wanted more than just a store; she wants her Poppy’s Boutique to make a difference
Poppy’s Boutique owner Raissa Dupuis focuses on selling products made by companies that pay fair wages and engage in sustainable sourcing practices.
One could step into Poppy’s Boutique and easily think it’s simply another lovely women’s clothing shop filled with the latest fashions for a variety of ages.
But there’s a twist, says owner Raissa Dupuis, and it’s one conscientious consumers can feel good about. Buying clothes from her shop means buying products made by people who were paid a fair wage, and made with base materials that were sourced sustainably.
That’s the central component of how Dupuis developed Poppy’s Boutique, at 316 Washington St., in downtown Wausau. Opened Oct. 28 in the former Bauhaus Studio storefront (which is now located in the newly opened Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art), the clothing is selectively curated not only for how it looks and feels, but how it was created.
“Every brand I picked has a mission,” Dupuis says. Those brands detail the creation process of their clothing, showing the supply chain as close to the beginning as possible in order to ensure consumers know exactly how their clothes were created, and to ensure each step in the process was handled fairly.
Other brands have specific charities they fund with sales of their products. The Shine Project jewelry sold in her store, for example, supports inner city children going to college. Another brand helps employ former victims of human trafficking. Some of the clothing is made from recycled materials, and they’re created with environmentally friendly practices.
Poppy’s is the first storefront clothing store Dupuis has run, but she built her fashion experience by selling LuLaRoe clothing, which is sold in pop-up shops. She did well with the brand, and enjoyed being in the business, but always had her eye on her own storefront (which LuLaRoe doesn’t allow).
With Poppy’s, that block of Washington Street (just outside Wausau Center mall) will have two clothing boutiques right next to each other. Blackash Urban Goods and Clothing opened Nov. 4. Dupuis is excited about having more than one clothing store in the same block. The proximity will give both stores more drawing power for women looking for locally owned options, Dupuis says.
Poppy’s will have trendy fashionable clothing, Dupuis says, and styles for just about every age group and price point. “It’s high end, for sure,” Dupuis says. “It’s affordable, but the quality is there.”
Find Poppy’s Boutique on Facebook.
