MONROE — In her college days, Melissa Phillips would make weekly mall trips with friends to Madison where she would enjoy creating outfits and swapping clothing before weekend outings. 

She has taken that love and made it into a business on Monroe’s Square, now helping others create fashionable attire for whatever reason. 

While home on maternity leave five years ago, she watched a friend open up a boutique in Minneapolis. They remodeled an old building, adding their own finishing touches. 

“I thought, ‘I want to do that someday,” Phillips said. “‘I want to be able to have my own shop and space. It inspired me to work toward it and figure out how to make it happen.”

Phillips started Mixed Petals Boutique more than two years ago and operated it out of the basement in her home. The setup became less than ideal when her children got a little older and she didn’t want them to be answering the door for strangers. 

Since March, with the help of her husband Gabe, friends and family, Phillips has remodeled an upstairs apartment on the Square. The floors have been redone, the walls painted and clothing racks adorn the space. 

Although it took longer than expected to redo the floors and paint and hang clothing racks, a big sense of accomplishment settled in as the business opened over Memorial Day weekend. 

The Oregon native has lived in Monroe since 2006 and works full time as a registered dietitian in Madison. Phillips said she has developed loyal customers from that shop in her basement, and some have even become friends. She said the business has provided a strong connection to the people in the community.

The boutique carries sizes small to 3XL. Phillips said she chooses clothing that offers comfort, is on trend and is easy to wear. She also tries to keep her clothing at an affordable price so customers won’t have to spend a fortune on a new outfit. 

“My goal is to get everyone to feel good, look pretty and walk out of here without having spent too much money,” Phillips said. “I want everyone to feel included.”

In the future, Phillips wants to continue to expand and carry more items such as shoes along with more non-clothing items. 

Phillips said being located on the Square has been great asset to the business because she sees more foot traffic while still bringing in old customers. 

“It’s awesome,” Phillips said. “It’s also more of a central location for the people that have been with me the last couple of years.”