Stay Your Path boutique keeps every piece unique

Stay Your Path boutique in Washington — next to Follow Your Arrow salon — represents a philosophy both businesses were founded on.

“’Follow your arrow to stay your path,’ is what it is,” said Jamie Sobaski, owner of both businesses. “For me, I’ve always been one that’s kind of followed my own direction, my own feelings, my own heart and what I wanted to do … I believe that you stay true to yourself and follow your own dreams, you will succeed, you will find happiness and be able to better yourself.”

To ensure the new store’s clothes are sufficiently unique to each customer, Sobaski said she never stocked the same item twice.

“We’re in a small community, and I don’t want everyone to have the same thing,” she said. “If you come in here and get something that stands out and it’s different, we only have six of those items, and then they’re gone … it’s nice to find those specialized pieces that not everyone is going to have.”

The new store represents a longtime dream of Sobaski’s, who has a background running a photography business, child care center and above-mentioned salon. She said it was rewarding work.

“I love to dress people up, I love making people feel good,” she said. “That’s photography, hair, boutique, it all kind of goes together. You make people look and feel good … it’s hard to explain when you really feel something in your heart and you go for it. When I feel it, I go, I jump in with two feet and put my whole heart into it.”

Sobaski said she planned to open the store before COVID-19 hit, but pushed plans back as its effects on consumers became clear. As the outlook for new businesses improved, she went all-in on the new store in characteristic style.

“It got to the point where it started to happen more, some other places opened boutiques as well,” she said. “I felt like if I didn’t jump the gun here, I might miss my chance at it … and it turned out pretty much exactly how I visualized it.”

For now, the store entails a room in the corner of the salon. Sobaski said she hoped to expand it with time, as the owner of the whole building.

“I want it to be big, I want it to expand,” she said. “Hopefully we can quadruple the size of it, however, I really, really want to get working toward an online store. I want to branch out and I want to reach multiple states and people, because I think my style is special and kind of bold, and I want to share that with a lot of people.”

While Stay Your Path has been popular (and busy) in its first few months, Sobaski said the demand was not overwhelming.

“I think I thrive on stress,” she said. “I don’t know what I would do with myself if I had extra time. I enjoy being busy, I have a good work ethic.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com