Dee Haman works solo at Betsey’s Boutique on Tuesday in Lima.
LIMA — Dee Haman, franchisee of Betsey’s Boutique Shop in Lima, is excited about the future growth of her store.
Located at 562 W Market St., the shop celebrated its grand opening on July 20th. Haman is currently the only employee.
It wasn’t until two years ago that she decided to open a shop in Lima.
For almost 15 years, Dee and Betsey Gamble, the owner and CEO of Betsey’s Boutique Shop, have maintained a close connection. “We’ve been friends since she opened her first store in Rockford, Ohio, 13 years ago,” she said.
Haman is driven every day by sharing the same passion as Gaman for empowering women. She enjoys making connections. “There are so many professional women in this community that I’ve gotten to cross paths with,” she said.
Haman’s transition into the first few months with the shop has been relatively simple, and she points to Gamble and her following, especially on social media, as a big reason for this. “Betsey has such an amazing following. The company’s Facebook page has over 700,000 followers,” she said.
The idea of opening a boutique in Lima came about 10 years ago. Haman initially declined due to a laundry list of responsibilities at the time, but Gamble continued to mention the idea until Haman finally gave in.
Haman feels her role is impacting multiple parts of her life. “I love doing this. Something that makes me feel better about myself makes me a better mom,” she said. As a mother of three kids, she emphasized how important being a good mother is to her despite her various roles.
Finding the right place and location in Lima was difficult for both women. “It took us over a year to find the spot. We wanted to be on Main Street, but there wasn’t enough that was available,” Haman said.
Finally securing the Market Street location was a breath of fresh air, but it didn’t go without posing its own set of challenges. “It wasn’t ideal at first. With a lot of paint and light fixtures we transformed the spot,” she said.
By thinking outside of the box, Haman is hopeful the store will grow and continue bringing new things to her store and Lima.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
