BUSINESS FEATURE Grady Ln Boutique Owner pursues inclusivity through trendy styles H allie Wooddell, owner of Grady Ln Boutique, pur- chased the rst products to
BY SHELBIE HAMILTON
things that are t in a way that they t ... somebody who needs some more room is so di cult,” Wooddell said. “When you do nd it, it is just a generalized style. It’s so outdated. It’s no longer anything that’s just hip and cool.” The inclusivity-focused shop, which rst opened its doors June 26, 2021, has
start her store using the last paycheck she got from her nine-to- ve day job, she said. The business, which started online and at vendors markets, can
The store o ers apparel, accessories and more. It is located in downtown McKinney.
now be found o of the square in Historic Downtown McKinney. Grady Ln Boutique is a size-inclusive apparel and accessories store focusing on trendy
“MY DREAM ISN’T TO HAVE A BILLION STORES. ... MY DREAM IS JUST TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SHOP ONLINE OR THEY CAN SHOP IN PERSON AND JUST FEEL GOOD” HALLIE WOODDELL, OWNER
PHOTOS BY SHELBIE HAMILTON COMMUNITY IMPACT
continued to adapt and expand since opening, Wooddell said. In addition to adding additional
sta to her team, Wooddell recently began creating embroidered products and also continues to launch curated product collections, she said. “My dream isn’t to have a billion stores. ... My dream is just to have a place where people can shop online or they can shop in person and just feel good,“ Wooddell said. In addition to the online and physical storefronts, the business has also seen success on social media. The shop’s Instagram account has over 5,500 followers, and its TikTok account has surpassed 12,000 follow- ers and 57,000 likes. “We had a few TikTok [videos] go viral, and I think that’s what really did it for us. ... We started gaining a new audience,” Wooddell said. “People like to share once they nd us because it is so niche. ... It’s just for the right person.”
styles that fall into the store’s speci cally curated aesthetic, Wood- dell said. “I have a brand in my head, and I’m luckily able to make it into something; I can bring it into life,” Wooddell said. “It’s just an aesthetic of like, we’re Western, we’re [bohe- mian], we’re grunge. It just all comes together so seamlessly. ... It’s just beautiful to me.” The store, which was launched online in June 2020, o ers a range of sizes from extra small to 3XL, with some items available in sizes up to 6XL. Wooddell, who sources most of the items found in the store, has dreamt of owning a boutique and providing clothing options for a wide variety of body types since she was young, she said. “I grew up as a plus-size child. ... I’ve always been so tall, so nding
Grady Ln is run by a team of four, including from left Matti Carter, Autumn Passwaters, owner Hallie Wooddell and Catherine Harrison.
The boutique is size-inclusive, with a size range from extra small to 3XL, with some items available up to 6XL.
BUILDING A BUSINESS January 2021: Began selling as a vendor inside a boutique in Wylie The boutique opened its doors in June 2021.
June 2020: Launched online storefront
April 2021: Began looking in McKinney for a storefront June 26, 2021: Opened a storefront o of McKinney’s downtown square
2020
2021
September 2020: Began selling at markets
Grady Ln Boutique 111 Chestnut St., McKinney www.gradyln.com
LOUISIANA ST.
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Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. closed
CLOYDST.
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