The Shops at Highland Village offers shoppers virtually any product or service they could want. Yet there’s something unique awaiting customers who walk through the doors of Brightside Boutique.
For starters, they’re often greeted by the boutique’s vivacious and warm-hearted owner, Ann Wolf, who combines passion for her business with respect and rapt attention to every customer.
“I run my business by the words of Christ,” Ann said. “Treat others the way you would want to be treated.”
It’s a business model that produces success, as Ann and her staff recently celebrated the boutique’s sixth anniversary at its current location.
The Double Oak resident founded the boutique’s original location in Lewisville in 1994, then moved it to Flower Mound before settling in The Shops at Highland Village in 2007. Many of her cosmetic customers followed her from location to location.
“I have the sweetest, most loyal customers,” Ann said. “The people are what makes this business so fulfilling.”
Case in point, Brightside provided two sisters their very first makeover at age 13. Through high school homecomings and proms, the girls continued to visit the boutique faithfully and one of them relied on Ann and her products once again during her recent wedding. Perhaps the family-oriented atmosphere comes from the way Ann runs her boutique.
“I treat this store like it’s my home,” Ann said. “Here we treat you with respect and give the customer special treatment, like offering them water when they come in and walking them to the door on their way out.”
Going the extra step also means attention to detail in almost every facet of the business. In addition to serving customers, Ann also handles marketing, hiring, training and some of the bookwork. She also pays close attention to the products on her floor.
“I’m really cautious about the brands we carry, and all my companies service their products,” Ann said. “When we go to market, I purchase with the customer and their needs in mind.”
The customers aren’t the only ones enjoying the experience. Ann describes her staff as excited, energetic employees who perform well and mirror her example of respectful customer service. She’s also very proud that 16 of her young employees (including her youngest daughter) over the years have moved on to attend college, a testament to the skills and qualities one can learn at Brightside.
“I train them how to work hard and be an entrepreneur,” Ann said. “This isn’t just about employment for them, it also allows me to be a mentoring figure.”
The celebration of a six year anniversary is especially fulfilling for Ann because industry standards suggest if a small business can survive the first three years of operation, it has reached a pinnacle of sorts.
“I’m very grateful for six years at this location,” Ann said. “I’m also grateful to my employees, grateful to Christ, and grateful to my customers.”
For more information about Brightside Boutique or Ann’s other store in The Shops at Highland Village, Brightside Shoe Boutique, please visit www.brightsideboutique.net.
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