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August 3, 2023
By David Nordby
The Brillion News
A complete version of this story appears in the August 3, 2023 print edition of The Brillion News.
BRILLION – Marissa Sweere went to college to be a registered nurse and did that for a short time. Then her true passion came calling.
“Time evolved and I decided to pursue other dreams and open up my boutique,” Sweere said.
The owner of Way Boutique recently opened her first in-person women's clothing store in downtown Brillion at 212 South Main Street next to Bullseye Printing. Sweere has spent the last two years building an online store out of her home near Sherwood.
“I honestly wasn't looking to open up a store. It kind of just came up in conversation and I couldn't stop thinking about it,” Sweere said.
From there, Sweere approached the owner of the building to see if it was a possibility.
“Before we knew it, I had a store in there and it's cool. It's kind of a full circle moment to be back in my hometown being a small business because small businesses are really the backbone especially being in small towns,” Sweere said.
Sweere graduated from Brillion High School in 2013.
“I loved growing up in Brillion. I love small towns. I know they're not for everybody, but I loved growing up in a small town and having that small town pride,” Sweere said.
Even though she loved it, she didn't know it would be in her future.
“Never in a million years did I think I'd be back in Brillion though opening a clothing store,” Sweere said.
Sweere hopes to help bring customers downtown.
“With having had an online following for almost two years now, I've only been open a week but I'd say 90% of the business I've had has actually been out of town which is really cool,” Sweere said.
In her first week, she had visitors from Fond du Lac, Darboy, Appleton and Green Bay.
“It's really cool and whenever they come to Brillion, I'm like, 'Hey, since you're here go check out this place, check out that place, now we have a coffee shop,'” Sweere said.
The store is currently offers all women's products, and a wide variety of them.
“I carry all sizes small through 3X, jean sizes zero through 32, so a huge, huge variety,” Sweere said.
The age-range she's trying to attract is vast, too.
“I have 16 all the way through 70-some year-olds,” Sweere said. “It really caters to a huge, vast majority of the women.”
Sweere says a lot of the clothing is “young women's clothing.”
“That would probably be like my main focus but I carry such a variety. I've got super comfortable loungewear, I've got dressy stuff for work, I've got dresses, I've got just casual every day stuff, jeans, shoes, bags. I just really have such a huge variety of everything,” Sweere said.
The store is open Thursdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sundays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The store's Facebook page is Way Boutique. All clothes in-person are different from her online store, so customers can see explore both.