Building a business and a future in Mitchell

Although Megan Reimnitz didn’t expect to spend her adulthood in Mitchell, when she went through her checklist of priorities – safety, reasonable cost of living, familiarity, social opportunities – her hometown fit the bill.
Megan grew up in Mitchell and Corsica and graduated from Corsica High School. She attended Dakota Wesleyan University and earned a theater degree in 2014.

“It was the perfect education for a small-business owner,” she said. “A small business is much like a theater production: you have to adhere to a budget, you have to be creative and produce a good product, you have to market your work.  It gave me confidence.”

Megan’s first job out of college was as the director of Mitchell Area Community Theater.  Then, in 2017, she had the opportunity to purchase Adorn Boutique.

“I always wanted to be a business-owner,” she said.  “I thought it would either be a wedding-planning business or a boutique, and here I am.”

The culture of the downtown area is energizing for Megan. The atmosphere is what creates the difference between the variety of small businesses on Main Street and online shopping.

“Shopping downtown is about the experience,” she said. “When you come in, we greet you, we want to help you, we will be honest about how something looks on you. There is a personal connection.”

Acknowledging the benefits of in-person shopping does not mean that Megan ignores the competition posed by online shopping.  She has a robust online presence, both through social media and for online shopping. Anything in her store can also be purchased from her via the internet, and she carries sizes small to 3X in order to appeal to a wide audience of women.

“I personally take a product off the rack and put it in the mail,” she said.

Even though she works downtown every day, Megan’s choices for social activities are also on Main Street.

“I can shop, grab coffee, shop some more, have lunch, shop some more, and get drinks and dinner, all downtown,” she said. “I love the pedestrian atmosphere.”

When she has time, she still enjoys participating in theater.  Last year, she was in the Mitchell Community Theater production of “9 to 5 the Musical.”

As she has built her business, Megan said she has learned two primary lessons: don’t compare yourself to other businesses because they are at a different stage than you are; and focus on community over competition. She encourages her shoppers to visit other downtown shops because if the businesses support one another, they can all thrive and grow.

“I love being a part of Mitchell Main Street & Beyond because it’s a collective group of businesses coming together to help everyone be successful,” she said.

Megan and her fiancé, Juan Suarez, who works at Toshiba, are getting married in August. Although they find all of their basic needs met here in Mitchell, they also find the location ideal when they want a change of scenery; trips to the Twin Cities or Omaha for the city experience and weekend getaways to the Black Hills or badlands for outdoorsy fun complement their local lifestyle.

“Mitchell is the best place for our life now,” Megan said, “and for the future we’re going to build.”