Adored Boutique opens East Hills retail space with hopes of paying it forward

As far as owner Emily Smith is concerned, the decision to open the new Adored Boutique and follow a career into retail wasn’t ever something she actively intended to work toward, but rather something she began to understand over time. 

“I was really restless in my career, and I was on a mission trip in Cuba, and the trip was really surrounded in this idea of just loving on women and reminding them that they’re not alone,” says Smith, who opened her 1,200-square-foot women’s clothing store, Adored Boutique, Dec. 1 at 968 Cherry St. in East Hills. “Every woman we connected with (during the trip) would get something to call her own that was special and feminine and made her feel good and made her feel loved…By the time I left that trip, I understood that I needed to change my career and that it involved opening a women’s boutique and over time God really just fine-tuned it in me.”

Then, almost one year ago, Smith said she was singing the hymn “O Come Let Us Adore Him” at her church’s Christmas service when she was struck with inspiration for Adored Boutique, which features contemporary apparel, shoes and home goods exclusively from vendors who are ethical manufacturers, many of whom employ individuals who were victims of human trafficking or other forms of exploitation. 

“It was really about just taking each step at a time to understand it, so I started researching ethical manufacturers — and I didn’t really know that word, ethical manufacturers, but I kept searching and finally started making connections with those vendors,” says Smith, adding that the one thing these vendors all had in common was a focus on creating employment opportunities for women who recently escaped poverty, sex trafficking, or other forms of exploitation  

After signing a five-year lease in October, Smith began renovating and moving into the space just last month, whipping the former hair salon into shape with help from her interior designer sister and longtime friend and contractor who assisted with the build-out. 

Committed to partnering with local and global organizations that have missions to directly or indirectly support the rescue and restoration of victims of human trafficking, Adored Boutique gives back 15 percent of its profits to charity partners on local, regional, and national levels. 

Now nestled on the corner of Cherry Street and Lake Drive, Smith says the revamped retail space fits right in with not only the vibe of her new neighborhood, but also with its residents and other entrepreneurs in the ever-growing business community. 

“I will say that every single business owner in this community has just been genuinely welcoming and encouraging and supportive, and I would say the same about the people who live in the area and have come into the store,” she says. “It’s such a positive atmosphere.” 

For more information about Adored Boutique, its vendors, or what charities it contributes to, visit Adored Boutique online here.

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Adored Boutique