ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – An Escanaba business owner is giving fellow entrepreneurs an opportunity to share their work with the public.
Last fall, Kylie Kalishek opened microblading studio Blading Boutique at 1107 Ludington Street.
“Microblading is for people with sparse or patchy eyebrows,” Kalishek explained. “If you don’t have eyebrows, I can give them to you—especially my girlies in the 2000s that over-plucked.”
This week, the business had a grand reopening, now under the name Blading Boutique & Small Business Emporium.
“All of my friends are just entrepreneurs and dreamers and people who could use a little boost in their business,” said Kalishek. “Not everybody has enough inventory to start an entire storefront, but I have a storefront and not enough inventory.”
More than 20 vendors have their goods on display, ranging from art and decor to all-natural beauty products and cleaners.
“I’m making sure that things are complementary, not competitive,” Kalishek said. “That way, you have a better chance of getting your sales. I’m going to have local artists rotating through here, so it should always be something new and I’m going to try to get as many small businesses’ names out there as possible.”
Kalishek is also expanding the microblading side of the business. She is now the only microblading artist in the Upper Peninsula to partner with the Sauler Institute.
“They have a mission to make breast cancer survivors feel whole again,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of family go through cancer, a lot of friends, and it’s horrible to watch. You don’t think of the struggles that come after that, which include low self-esteem and low finances, so to partner with the Sauler Institute where they will pay for restoration is really, really incredible.”
Kalishek says she is excited to see where these updates lead Blading Boutique and the other businesses she has alongside her.
“We get so used to shopping on Amazon and chain stores, and the little guy gets forgotten,” she said. “We have so many creative artists and people in this community, and it really shows by the products that are in this store. It’s a great way to promote small businesses and help the little guy.”
Kalishek is open to welcoming other vendors into her business in the future. Anyone interested in applying for the waitlist can call (906) 233-6085, email kylieann@bladingboutique.com, or visit the storefront during business hours. Blading Boutique & Small Business Emporium is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information on microblading services, visit bladingboutique.com or the Blading Boutique Facebook page. To learn more about the Sauler Institute, email info@saulerinstitute.com.
