Brighton Shoes, Handbags & Jewelry
Upstairs Boutique began in the fall of 1995 as a small gift store above Frye & Gray Furniture in Joplin, Missouri, with only 750 sq. ft. After just one year, the vision for the business expanded and that small space was outgrown.
Today…we’re celebrating our 13th year in business and our 12th year located in the heart of Downtown Joplin’s Historic Sunshine Lamp District. If you happen to be in the area, we would love for you to stop by and see us at 5th & Main Street in our current 5,000 sq. ft. location.
Lines we carry:
- Brighton - Jewelry, Handbags, Footwear, Sunglasses, Fragrance, Wallets, Luggage & Gifts
- Joseph Ribkoff - Great style for over 50 years
- NYDJ Not Your Daughter’s Jeans
- Ed Hardy - Knits, Tees, Sunglasses, Fragrance & Handbags
- Tribal - Moderate priced with outstanding quality
- Christine Alexander - Bling, Bling, Bling
- Vera Bradley
- Tyler Candles
How it All Began
Retail and entrepreneurship may be in Jane’s blood; her granddad Crittenden owned a small retail store two generations ago and her parents, Pat and Vern Styron, have owned and operated a number of businesses over the past several decades. When Jane began Upstairs Boutique, one friend offered her space for the store upstairs from a furniture store. Another friend said she would work a few days a week, and yet another friend claimed to be the best shopper around and was more than willing to go to market with Jane!
Jane’s teaching skills were quickly adapted to retail: instead of creating classroom bulletin boards, she now found herself building window displays. With the gift of hospitality, she found herself enjoying greeting and visiting with her customers. Upstairs Boutique grew and within a year it was time to move to larger facilities downtown on Main Street. After a few more years, business moved to a larger, more prominent corner location two doors down. Although the name implies the store is located upstairs, it hasn’t been upstairs in over 12 years!
Through the years as a ladies’ store, the merchandise mix has changed considerably. In the early years, Upstairs Boutique carried several missy coordinates, which sold well. The store was known for their embellished sweaters and jackets, and preferred to buy “itemy” pieces at market and only a few of each style. Upstairs Boutique prides itself in being able to tell the customer that she would not see herself coming and going. In other words, not everyone in town would have her outfit since only a few of each style were available.
When Kent and his girlfriend, Deb, began working at Upstairs Boutique, it was time to broaden the scope of appeal to the younger crowd. Upstairs Boutique maintains a unique, cutting edge in fashion, from clothing lines that teenagers and young women would buy, to clothing and accessories for their mothers and grandmothers. Upstairs Boutique is even proud to have some lovely 90-year-old ladies as regular customers!
Upstairs Boutique became a Brighton Heart Store in 1997, which entailed creating a “Brighton Boutique” within the store where all Brighton products are displayed together. This has proved to be a “winner” for the store, as every year Brighton is the “bread and butter” as the largest-selling department. The categories of Brighton include handbags, jewelry, watches, shoes, luggage, sunglasses, readers, fragrance, and gifts for the home. Brighton’s owner, Jerry Kohl and his wife Terry, have a heart for the small retailer and Upstairs Boutique is proud to sell their product.