Local Business Highlight: Poppy & Polka Dot Boutique

Amanda Beals, owner of Poppy & Polka Dot Boutique

The Poppy & Polka Dot Boutique is a retail store in downtown Ellsworth that sells fashionable and functional clothes for Maine women. The atmosphere is inviting, friendly, and fun – much like the owner, Amanda Beals.

Like many successful businesses, Poppy & Polka Dot started as a side venture. Amanda, then a math teacher, wanted to supplement her teacher’s salary and decided to open an in-home clothing boutique. She initially started this boutique as a multi-level marketing business; after rising to the top 2% of the company in the first three months, she couldn’t get inventory quickly enough. She decided to take matters into her own hands and started her own company in 2019.

Amanda is pragmatic, though: she didn’t jump in without a plan. Her first order of business was to conduct a focus group with women who came to her house to try on styles and give her opinions on fit, feel, and what they were looking for. “That was a lot of discovery for me,” Amanda said. She discovered that Maine has a unique demographic of women. “We do have the occasions where we like to dress up and polish ourselves up, but for the most part, we need functional clothing. I need a pair of jeans that I can dress up and down, that will last me, and that will be warm and comfortable.”

Her business was successful from the beginning, and soon enough, she needed to expand. A building located at 61 Main Street in Ellsworth was available to purchase, and she approached the building owners with a proposition: let her rent out the downstairs for a couple of months, and if her business was successful in that location, she would make an offer. “It was wonderful having home and business separate,” she said. The experiment paid off, and they were able to close on the building on March 16th, 2020.

Of course – March 16th, 2020, was the “week of COVID.” The state and much of the country shut down. Somewhat surprisingly, this worked in Amanda’s favor since she was able to focus on renovating the building. She went back to her house, sold online and offered pick-up options on her porch while the building – including her store and four apartments – were being renovated. She opened her doors to the new Poppy & Polka Dot Boutique on Main St on May of 2020.

Business exploded. During COVID, Amanda was able to double her business and 8 months from when she initially purchased 61 Main St., she needed to expand again. She closed on 97 Main Street in March of 2021, growing from 800 square feet to 5000 square feet.

Like any business, she has had her fair share of challenges. While she anticipated that the COVID bubble would eventually burst, when it did, she needed to reduce staff hours. She’s also made her share of bad buys of things that didn’t sell… her advice?  Pay attention, revise your plan, and move forward. “You just have to roll with it. I take copious notes. . . I pay attention, and I talk to my customers. A lot of them come in and we have a conversation. I’m always listening.”

Offering that level of customer care isn’t what you will find in a large box department store. Amanda believes that customer service and product knowledge sets her store apart. She has an uncanny ability to remember sizes in people. “People actually don’t remember their own sizes, they ask me.”

While Amanda sells in person, she also relies heavily on her online market. She has a website, a downloadable app with their entire inventory, and stores on Instagram and Facebook. All that inventory is connected to one portal. On social media, she often sells her products live and ships them all around the country.

“Social media is a powerful tool, especially small-business wise,” she said. It has not only expanded her reach but helps balance out her sales during the slow winter months when it’s hard to go out and shop in person.

When asked what advice she has for people starting their own business, Amanda said, “Really do your research. I spent a lot of time myself doing the research and making sure what I was doing wasn’t being exhausted in this area. Really having a financial plan. Don’t throw your eggs in one basket.”

Poppy and Polka Dot Boutique has grown from an in-home boutique in a basement to a thriving business smack dab in the middle of downtown Ellsworth. It’s a destination for women who want to shop for fun, yet practical, clothes. In the future, Amanda says she wants to expand to her basement, potentially selling lingerie. But for now, she’s content with where she is at. As Amanda looks to the future, her story highlights the power of thoughtful planning, customer connection, and the courage to embrace new opportunities.

Join us in supporting Poppy & Polka Dot Boutique by visiting her store on Main Street, downloading her app, or following her on Facebook/Instagram. Their winter hours are Wed-Friday 10-4 and Saturday 10-3. They are also available by appointment if their in-store hours don't work for you. Please reach out to poppyandpolkadot@gmail.com to set up a time.