By Shane Mead | Reporter
Waco has grown to become a prime hub for home goods and decor with the Magnolia takeover in recent years. However despite some overlapping niches, local boutique Lane’s on Austin Avenue continues to find ways to thrive as it extends its lifetime-long existence of over 75 years.
Before shifting to the focus on home decor, gifts and wedding registries, Lane’s was a long-standing lamp store. After graduating Baylor and being a long-time customer of the store, owner Kimberly Nielsen took over and began the revamp.
Nielsen relies on her keen eye for her product selection.
“To be honest, I just buy what I love,” she said.
Nielsen tries to find a balance of prices for customers between the cherished product lines that the shop has held for generations and the newer lines she’s added.
“We try to have a really broad range of price points, from a $20 gift all the way up to a luxury item gift,” she said.
Being in a college town, Sunni Ruffin, who works at Lane’s, says their top brands present more of an appeal for students than meets the eye.
“I also think there’s a misconception that our store is too expensive for college students,” Ruffin said. “There’s definitely something in there for everyone.”
Though the variety of products and varying price points are effective in drawing customers, what Nielsen and Ruffin both highlighted was the store’s emphasis on a positive work environment and relationships with customers.
“I would say that the part of what makes us unique is that we really strive to get to know our customers and what they like,” said Nielsen. Much of the time, Nielsen, or others working at Lane’s, know their customers well and are able to give suggestions because of their close relationships.
“When someone comes in the store, [Nielsen], or any of the rest of the team, comes up to them and it’s like, ‘Hey, how is your mom doing?'” Ruffin said. “It’s just really great to see how much they care about the people and their shoppers.”
Furthermore, Ruffin says she learned a lot from Nielsen about how to keep a store afloat. Ruffin said the positive work environment at Lane’s is a huge reason she feels so blessed to be working there.
“[Nielsen] has never gone a day without making all of the people that work for her feel so special and feel so loved,” said Ruffin. “I really feel like I have a voice at Lane’s.”
Ultimately, Nielsen said she wants her boutique to be for everybody.
“I want everyone to feel welcomed,” she said. “I want it to be an experience. If you just want to come in and browse and clear your mind, I want that to be your place.”
