After a brief relocation to Florida ― the Brubachers planned to open a restaurant with a friend but ended up opening a clothing store ― they moved back to Hamilton, mainly for their now-19-month-old grandson.
They had held on to 15 S. C St., and with no tenants on the first floor at the time, relocated their clothing shop, renaming it Bru’s Boutique & Beyond, offering a mixture of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothes. It also has a sizeable selection of accessories, jewelry, and home decor items.
“We want to be able to accommodate all ages,” Jon said.
They called their location, which is right beyond Billy Yanks, “perfect” as it’s right off Main Street in the 200 block.
Michelle said “it was obvious” Hamilton was going to experience a large growth of businesses, especially with Spooky Nook coming to town. The mega-complex that features a sports and events center, convention center, and hotel has attracted thousands of visitors to Hamilton on recent weekends.
When they initially looked for a property in Hamilton, Michelle said they “were going to build on the other side of town. Then we looked at the one two doors over on the other side of the ally, and it just wasn’t right.”
Then they saw the South C Street site and Michelle immediately thought, “This is it.”
The stretch of Main Street they’re near “really has something to offer for everyone,” Jon said. “We want to ride this tide that’s in Hamilton. Hamilton’s booming.”
As they were opening Bru’s Boutique & Beyond, Michelle moved back first from Florida this past fall, with Jon not far behind. About half their inventory was what they sold at the store they called SGI Threads (for St. George’s Island).
But the inventory isn’t the only thing they brought back from Florida. They brought an idea home. Jon and Michelle said a boutique they knew of in the Florida Panhandle had an outdoor seating area that served alcohol. They want to emulate that.
Michelle said they’re in the process of applying for a liquor license that will allow them to sell alcohol for on-site consumption, and Jon said, if approved, they’d start with a variety of beers. That could turn into other types of adult beverages. Down the road, they’d like to convert the fenced-in backyard into a beer garden, and they would like to participate in Hamilton’s designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA.
“We’re in the beginning,” Jon said of the next evolution of the business. “Thankfully, we invested in it six-plus years ago, and we held on to it.”
BRU’S BOUTIQUE & BEYOND
Where: 15 S. C St. (behind Billy Yanks)
When: 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 2 to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed on Sundays and Mondays
Online: brubeyond.com
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