Batavia boutiques add fashionable flair to city's downtown

Sometimes, it's worth it to go off the beaten path. I stopped in at Limestone Coffee and decided to check out the beautiful Fox River.

As I looked south toward the island, I noticed a sign for Paula's Couture Consignment. I headed down the steps and was surprised to find a treasure chest of clothing, accessories, gifts and home decor for exceptionally low prices.

"Some of our items are up to 70 percent off," said owner Paula Mueller. "Sizes range from zero to 2X."

She has more than 3,000 items in her inventory, and when an item doesn't sell, she drops the price and eventually puts it on the $5 rack. You'll find blue jeans by Citizens of Humanity and hand bags by Coach and Louis Vuitton.

She also sells new items with the tags still on.

"Many are samples that have never been worn," said Mueller. "They don't come in sized, so I encourage my customers to try on different sizes."

Some may recognize the name of Paula Mueller, since Mueller served as an alderwoman representing the 4th Ward.

This shop is a dream come true for her.

"After going through a divorce, I decided it was time to bet on me for a change," she said. "So I opened this shop in a community that I love, Batavia."

If you check out Mueller's Facebook page, you can see her modeling some of her clothes from the shop. She is shown all over town, showcasing other businesses in the process.

You'll find Paula's Couture Consignment at 4 1/2 W. Wilson St., Suite 4, one level below Reel Pro.

Six+Cypress is actually on the "beaten path," right at the corner of Wilson and Batavia Avenue on Wilson. This adorable shop looks like it has been recreated from a magazine page.

"My neighbor Abby and I were talking one evening and I mentioned that I wanted to open a clothing store and she offered to help," said Kasey Hoag. "We started online first with a closed Facebook group."

Today, co-owners Kasey Hoag and Abby Lang have 11,000 followers for their online store and a charming shop at 239 W. Wilson St. featuring on-trend clothing from small to 3X. The store also has accessories and gift items.

"We added gift wrapping since some customers would stop to pick up a gift before meeting a friend for lunch," added Hoag.

"One of my customers even commented that she loved the shop, and felt Batavia needed more shops like this," added Hoag.

The most surprising feature of Six+Cypress is that nothing in the shop is more than $60.

"I'd rather have women come in and be able to get an outfit rather than just an expensive top," said Hoag.

To encourage people to stop at the store, Hoag changes her window display every three or four days.

There is public parking on Wilson Street and a public parking lot across Batavia Avenue.

Why not plan to spend the day in Batavia? Have lunch, do a little shopping, walk along the Riverwalk and find out about all that our special little town has to offer.