Upscale fashion boutique debuts in downtown Zeeland

An upscale women’s boutique is the newest business to set up shop in downtown Zeeland. Hudsonville resident Elizabeth Fetkenhour started Bella Donna Boutique “with a loan and a prayer” and a vision for providing affordable high-end fashions for women of all ages.

Fetkenhour chose downtown Zeeland because she likes the atmosphere and she says the storefronts are reasonably priced. Bella Donna Boutique opened Sept. 15 in a 130-year-old building at 139 E. Main St., formerly the stained-glass gallery Silver Fox.

“It’s a pretty building,” Fetkenhour says. “Between my husband and I and our kids, we gutted it and restored the original wood floors. There were five layers (of flooring) over the wood, but I was determined.”

The white tin ceiling adds to the elegance of the store and Fetkenhour calls the atmosphere warm and inviting. She is trying to stay within a $50,000 investment and has saved on initial expenses by cutting labor costs through a do-it-yourself effort.
 
“We put a lot of money and sweat into fixing it up,” she says.

Fetkenhour says the renovated 1,100-square-foot space provides an ideal backdrop for the upscale clothing offered at Bella Donna Boutique.

“I offer quality clothes at reasonable prices,” she says, adding that simple and classic styles can be hard to find at affordable prices. She carries dresses and clothing for all ages, with a variety of accessories and locally-made jewelry that appeal to both younger and older women.

The shop features designer fashions, like Covet, which includes items made from cashmere and bamboo, as well as luxurious alpaca wool and silk wraps -- one of Fetkenhour’s favorite items,.

Bella Donna Boutique’s grand opening is Saturday, Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Source: Elizabeth Fetkenhour, Bella Donna Boutique

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].