Nathalie Leland knew, from the time she started selling girl scout cookies and hand-crafted bracelets as a young girl, that she was destined to follow in the entrepreneurial footsteps of her family.
The great-granddaughter of Darwin Leland, founder of Leland Paper Co., she is poised to make her business mark on the area, not with paper bracelets, but at her recently opened retail store, Whisper Boutique.
Located in the lower level of 28 Ridge St., Glens Falls, beneath Glens Falls Karate Academy and Bistro Tallulah, the boutique offers clothing, jewelry and accessories for women and kids. Leland has plans to offer a line of men’s apparel in the near future.
Whisper Boutique opened in October.
At this point, Leland is doing everything, from making frequent forays to Manhattan for clothing, gifts and crafts, candles and jewelry, to running the day-to-day operations. She also buys items from local manufacturers and producers, as well as items from around the world.
“Right now, I’m really doing everything here and I love it,” she said. She added that her goal is to eventually have something for everyone.
Leland said she is especially excited for the upcoming holiday season. She is planning to offer “after hours” shopping during the busy holiday shopping season.
“People are so busy during this time of year,” she said. “I’m going to have after-hours shopping for small groups. They can bring beverages and snacks to enjoy while they shop. It will be a nice way to make shopping fun and they can do it with their friends.”
It is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 3 p.m.
Find out more about Whisper Boutique on Facebook, or by calling 741-6746.