New boutique helps women, children

<p>Jana Rae Salmons, owner of Olive + Grace, sorts through the boutique’s inventory. She said she’ll adjust the stock to be closer to her own taste and the tastes of her customers. The store opens late this week, with a grand opening planned for late September or early October.</p>

Jana Rae Salmons, owner of Olive + Grace, sorts through the boutique’s inventory. She said she’ll adjust the stock to be closer to her own taste and the tastes of her customers. The store opens late this week, with a grand opening planned for late September or early October.

Jana Rae Salmons, owner of Olive + Grace, saw two big needs in her community.

She plans to help fill them when the business at 411 Court St., Fulton, opens late this week.

"Each quarter, I'm going to focus on a different nonprofit that helps women and children," Salmons said. "Ten percent of our growth sales that quarter will go to that organization."

She said that women and children seem to be "the group of people that are subject to needs the most" in Callaway County.

The other need she sees: A place to buy fashionable clothing for women aged 35 to 60.

"At my age, looking for fashion is sometimes hard," Salmons said. "I'll be changing my inventory based on what's selling and who's coming in."

At the store's soft opening, which is planned for Thursday or Friday, it'll be stocked with clothing from a recently shuttered boutique in Columbia. Salmons is currently working with wholesalers to find clothes that match her tastes better.

"The current selection is only up to large, but we'll be carrying extra large and above," Salmons said. "(My look is) not traditional, a little on the trendy side, but very wearable and age appropriate."

She added that younger folks may also find clothes they like at the store.

Opening the store is the culmination of a lifelong dream, Salmons said. She recently retired after 34 years working for a power plant maintenance contractor.

"I spent a lot of time in blue jeans and work boots," Salmons said.

She's always wanted to run her own store but feared it wouldn't be financially viable. Now that her children are grown, that's less of a concern.

"I've been very fortunate and I just want to share that with people," she said.

Salmons has three daughters, two of whom live in the Kansas City area and one of whom lives in Fulton. They helped her brainstorm the store's concept and name, she said. Brad, her husband of 30 years, has been supportive as well.

"My youngest daughter is an associated buyer for Payless Shoes," Salmons said. "She said, 'Mom, it's really hip to have two names with different meanings.'"

The daughter came up with Olive + Grace, which sounds like two names but has another meaning, Salmons said. Olive refers to an olive branch, which represents peace, and Grace simply means grace.

"We believe that peace and grace are essential to a fulfilled life and come from God," Salmons said.

The boutique will partner with a different nonprofit each quarter. For its first three months, it'll join up with Heart of Missouri CASA. The nonprofit is a group of volunteer court appointed special advocates for children in foster care.

"We are very excited, said Suzanne Guerrant, program director and volunteer supervisor for Callaway County. "(Salmons is) one of my best friends and she's worked hard to get this business off the ground."

Guerrant said that the money will help pay for the group's advocacy work and training for new volunteers.

"It costs about $25 for one hour of advocacy," she said. "We're getting ready to train some new advocates in September."

Currently, the Callaway County branch of CASA serves about 40 children and has 15 volunteers, with three more to be trained in September.

"I think (Salmons's) purpose for starting the store is awesome, not only to help with CASA but all the other nonprofits," Guerrant added. "It's nice to have someone in the community stepping up to the plate to help not only with money but awareness."

Salmons said that a screen in the boutique will play ads and messages from whatever nonprofit is being helped that quarter. She's currently looking for other nonprofits to partner with.

"I'll be talking to the ones I handpick, but I'm open to suggestions," Salmons said.

She added that while she'll be starting with women and children-focused charities in Callaway County, she may branch out to surrounding areas and other types of nonprofits in the future. However, they must meet her standards - for example, Salmons is pro-life, so supported charities must align with that value.

"Although we're not affiliated with a church, I have very strong faith," Salmons said. "I'm doing this in the name of Jesus."

Learn more about CASA at homcasa.org, and find Olive + Grace online at facebook.com/boutiquewithamission/.