A young woman named Courtney Isetts founded Happy Rock Boutique in 2020 after losing her job due to COVID, according to a WZMQ article by Lily Simmons that was part of a series on female business owners. Isetts had long been into thrifting and was already selling clothes online, and the transition to a storefront went smoothly for her. After first opening in a smaller space near Gladstone Dairy Flo, growing success allowed Isetts to move into 820 Delta Ave., where the store remains today.

In 2023, Taylor Seymour opened Kiddo’s Korner Boutique in the original home of Happy Rock Boutique. Incidentally, her store had a similar business model – the resale of clothes in good shape. But in the case of Kiddo’s Korner, the target was youngsters – that segment of the population that notoriously outgrows things quickly. Seymour’s objective was to make the cycle more affordable for local families.

Kiddo’s Korner also grew, and moved to a new home at 1610 Ludington St. in Escanaba after just one year.

Happy Rock Boutique went up for sale in 2024. Both Rhonda Gobert and her daughter Shaylyn independently noticed the listing, and both thought that it would be cool to take over the downtown Gladstone establishment.

Children's clothing, toys and accessories fill a back room and comprise Kiddo's Korner Boutique. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

“So we came down and we checked it out, and we both fell in love with it and the whole idea of… name-brand clothes that are a little bit better quality than (the charity shops),” Rhonda explained. “I put a deposit on it that night.”

The Gobert women took over ownership of Happy Rock Boutique in September 2024.

The operations – as they were originally as well as today – revolve around the resale of clothing, accessories and footwear for women. Except during spells when the shelves are too full to accept additional products, people may bring in items in exchange for store credit.

Last spring, the owner of Kiddo’s Korner reached out to Happy Rock Boutique to see if they would be interested in purchasing another enterprise.

“She was looking to sell her business – the inventory, basically, and the name,” said Rhonda. “My daughter and I had talked about offering kids clothes (before); we didn’t really have the space – but we made space back there,” she laughed.

A varied selection at Happy Rock Boutique and Kiddo's Korner Boutique continually rotates as the gently-used items sell and others come in. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

It took some minor remodeling to add Kiddo’s Korner Boutique under the same roof as Happy Rock Boutique – the Goberts extended the shoppable space by condensing their restock and storage area farther towards the back (north) of the building. Now, Happy Rock occupies the front of 820 Delta, while the children’s section of Kiddo’s Korner is through a doorway near the rear of the store.

Now, the ideas that had previously operated as two entities exist as essentially one business.

“We carry infant through women’s clothing up to size 4-X. We carry shoes, purses, accessories, jewelry. We do have some kids’ toys. It just depends on what comes in,” Rhonda said.

Inventory changes as items get purchased and different stock comes in.

Rhonda said that traffic that comes in the door is about a 50/50 split between people shopping and people selling.

Though it’s not an exceptionally profitable business, Rhonda said it’s certainly one she loves.

Much of the clientele is local, but the number of customers definitely ramps up in the summer when campers and travelers come through the area, and there are folks from Munising and Marquette who say they like to stop in whenever they’re in town.

The secondhand boutique retailer is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – closed Sundays and Mondays.

However, much of the inventory – even restock items in the back that haven’t found space on the front racks yet – may be found for sale online at www.happyrockboutique.com. Products purchased online may then be shipped or collected in-store.

During the month of February, a series of sales are underway at Happy Rock Boutique and Kiddo’s Korner. It’s almost time to begin cycling apparel over for the next season, so shoppers can expect to see a rotating selection.