by Karabeth Lewis
With an elegant and colorful touch, this unique and modern enterprise is coming to the fore. An extension of the McDougald family business, Casual Camel Boutique features stylish clothing, creativity and outstanding design in the heart of Clacton.
Casual Camel’s 30-year-old owner, Camille McDougald, shared that she moved back to her hometown of Clacton after college and has lived here ever since. After two and a half years in fashion retailing, she decided to work for her father at McDougald’s, a Clarkton family business with more than 100 years of history that opened in 1917 established.
The owner of Casual Camel Boutique proudly says, “It’s been fantastic to expand the family business”. She shared, “I love to keep up with trends, put things together and make them my own. Mixing styles, whether it’s fashion or home decor, is my passion.” She continued: “When I As a kid, I would design and draw different outfits and make ‘fashion magazines’ out of my drawings. My mother always had great fashion and design tastes (she still does). I learned from her growing up Everything about decor and fashion.”
Casual Camels mainly offers women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts. In addition, there are baby clothes and men’s items to choose from. From casual wear to wedding guest attire, Casual Camel is a great place to shop. The store offers styling assistance to people who need help and want to get out of their comfort zone.
Camille shared: “My dad has always valued quality and you get what you pay for. I use this theory when shopping for my store. I’d rather buy a more expensive item with less markup and less profit , to keep repeat customers happy because their purchases stick, rather than selling a hundred things that won’t last.”
How was Casual Camel Boutique born?
“Having my own clothing store has always been a dream of mine. A few years ago I considered buying a very established boutique, but I knew I really wanted to live close to my family and that would change everything. I decided not to Going to pursue this and thinking of starting an online store instead. I did my research, made a list of brands I like, picked a store name that is associated with me but doesn’t use my name, and bought for my site A domain name. A few years ago my dad purchased a storefront that was attached to our store. He remodeled part of it for our garden, feed and seed storage. One day I decided that I could still achieve me without leaving my parents I decided to stop thinking and dreaming and just do it. Instead of online, only I would open a small storefront for those who prefer to shop in person. We demolished the building next to our store, me and a dear family A friend designed the store I dream of owning together. He worked tirelessly to make my vision a reality. I have been told all my life that Clacton used to be a thriving town. I wanted to open a new business to let us The small town comes back to life where people can buy the things and gifts they love without leaving our community. My sister has a background in web and graphic design. She lives on a catamaran with her husband and cats, but has just decided to move Back on land. It just seemed like the perfect time to start designing my website and start chasing my dreams.” – Camille McDougall
Currently, Casual Camel ships to customers in 26 different states. The owner is proud of this as one of her main goals is to see Clacton thrive as it did years ago. She said, “It’s amazing to think of all these people all over America ordering clothes in a small store in our little old town! In the future, I hope people will see my store and say, ‘Wow, I can do it in Clark too! The shop is open.'”
In her experience as a small business owner, she has learned how supportive the community is and how people really enjoy shopping locally. She explained that I think the main takeaway from running the business myself is that I now understand why my dad was always working so hard with little time off. You feel guilty for not having a day off when your business is you. You want to know who’s shopping in your absence so you can thank them. You always want to work because there is always room for improvement and you want your business to be as successful as possible. “
Like every business, Casual Camel faced difficulties. Issues like rising product and shipping prices can be difficult as stores struggle to maintain affordable prices for customers.
How does Casual Camel Boutique contribute to the community?
“My dad has always been involved in the community and keeps giving back to schools, churches, nonprofits and the general public. He has passed this attribute on to me and I try to give back in the same way. Whether it’s school ads, raffle donations, buying raffles Vouchers, or just helping. I also want to give back by making people in my community feel good about themselves, and build self-confidence by providing gorgeous clothing for all.” – Camille McDougall
Thursday and Friday 10-5 Saturday 10-3 (special holiday times will be announced on social media pages)
Address: 10375 N. College Street. Clarkton NC 28433
Phone: 910-379-6216
e-mail: info@casualcamelboutique.com
Leisure Camel Boutique | Facebook
www.casualcamelboutique.com
instagram – @casualcamelboutique
“I can’t be more grateful for the support our community has given my family and this little dream of mine. I have customers who come every week, customers who drive with me to shop, and online shoppers who work hard. This does not go unnoticed. As a small business, I know our community is what keeps my store open. Without you, we would have celebrated our 1st anniversary on October 29th! From day one In the beginning, the outpouring of love and support was unreal. I hope people continue to shop all over Braden County and keep all of our small businesses thriving. I’m excited to continue to make our customers feel beautiful for years to come If you have a chance, please stop by the store and say hi to me and the girls. We would love to meet you and make you feel like a beautiful woman! If you are not local, check us out online. This holiday season, We would love to see recreational camels under your Christmas tree!” – Camille McDougald, owner of Casual Camel Boutique
