Danyel Mershon, seated, and Emily Anglemyer recently opened Wildflower Boutique and Salon at 232 Xenia Ave., the former home of Iona Boutique. Both women grew up in Springfield but now live in Yellow Springs. Mershon sells women’s clothing and jewelry in one section of the store while Anglemyer cuts, styles and colors hair in another. (Photo by Diane chiddister)
Stylish hair, stylish clothing at Wildflower Boutique
- Published: July 9, 2015
Danyel Mershon loves to travel and she loves interesting clothing, so it’s not surprising that wherever she goes, she tries to find one-of-a-kind specialty shops.
“No matter what country I’m in, I want to go into a cute little boutique and get something unique,” she said recently.
Opening her own boutique has always been Mershon’s dream. Recently, she reached her dream in downtown Yellow Springs with the Street Fair opening of Wildflower Boutique and Salon, which she owns with her good friend Emily Anglemyer, a hair stylist. The store is located at 232 Xenia Ave., the former location of Iona Boutique.
While one young woman specializes in clothing trends and the other in hair styles, the two share a vision of how they want shoppers, and especially female shoppers, to feel in their store. They want women to feel comfortable and to find something that helps them feel beautiful.
“I want people to feel relaxed, to ask questions, to try things on,” Mershon said. “This is a judgement-free zone.”
And as a frequent shopper, Mershon is well aware that salespeople sometimes give customers the once-over, then ignore them if they’re not wearing expensive clothes. That will not happen in her shop, according to Mershon, who wants everyone to feel welcome.
The clothing in Wildflower is different than that in many area shops, Mershon believes, because it reflects her own preference for styles that are relaxed and comfortable but flattering. Having lived in Arizona for several years where she worked for the designer Michael Kors, she prefers California-style clothes, with their bright colors and informality, and she orders from a Los Angeles supplier.
“The style is a little different from the Midwest, where clothes are more conservative, more covered up,” she said.
For instance, Wildflower currently features brightly covered kimonos, which are trending now, according to Mershon. Kimonos can be worn formally or layered on top of a black t-shirt and jeans to dress up casual clothes, are flattering to almost all body types and, priced at $34, are affordable. Shoppers will also find bell bottoms in a soft rayon/spandex mix with a bright blue and black design. Many might assume the pants won’t work for them, Mershon said, but as well as helping women feel comfortable, she wants to push them just a bit to try something new.
“Just humor me and try it on,” she said.
Some items are wildly colorful and others are basic in black, white or beige. The store also features cut-off jeans, summer dresses, bralettes and palazzo pants, among other items, along with one-of-a-kind jewelry. And while materials are important, Mershon mainly focuses on style when selecting clothes for her store.
“I want products that a lot of people can wear and feel comfortable,” she said.
Providing comfort for customers is also important to Anglemyer, who, like Mershon, grew up in Springfield but now lives in Yellow Springs. Both women hope the comfortable feeling starts with the store’s rustic decor, which features natural wood trim, shelves and doors. Anglemyer learned her trade straight out of high school when she studied hairstyling with Aveda, a company she worked with for seven years, including time at the local Wavelength Salon. But she has always longed for her own salon and is especially pleased that her new shop is located in Yellow Springs.
“It’s a little bit of Utopia in the Midwest,” she said.
Anglemyer has a passion for working with color, she said, but she’s happy to do whatever her customer wants. She’s sensitive to her customers’ needs and can start out slowly with someone new, establishing trust with just a trim, then go further on the next visit if the customer wants to make bigger changes. And she’s also perfectly happy when a customer leaves the decision of what to do up to her.
“My favorite is when someone sits down and says, ‘Just do whatever you want,’” she said.
Anglemyer also carries a variety of hair products made by the Australian company Kevin Murphy Products, which she likes because the products feel soft on her clients’ hair.
Like her friend Mershon, Anglemyer also gets satisfaction helping women (and men) feel good about themselves with the right cut or style. And also like Mershon, she sees Wildflower as a long-standing dream come true.
“My dad always said if you find work you’re passionate about, you never have to work a day in your life,” Mershon said. “It feels good to get up and come here each day. It’s not work, it’s fun.”
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