The Birch & Elm boutique in downtown Howell has closed its doors for good, just five months after it opened.
The store — featuring women’s clothing, paper goods, accessories, Michigan-made gifts and unique home decor items — opened in March 2018 at 213 E. Grand River Ave. in Howell’s Barley Building, next to Cello Italian Ristorante. When it opened, it joined locations in Owosso and Williamston as Birch & Elm’s third store; today, just the Owosso store remains open.
Birch & Elm announced the closings on its Facebook page:
“Being a small business owner is a rewarding journey where we get the opportunity to impact our community. What is sometimes forgotten is the sacrifice many small business owners make to bring their products to you, the sleepless nights spent crunching numbers when sales are low or the amount of time put into events. We like many of our business owner friends do it because we want to be part of our community and give back hoping that all tides rise together.
“The less glamorous part of being a small business owner is competing with large box stores, dealing with failures and finding the strength to make the right decisions based on current market factors.
“Today we made the decision to continue our brand under one roof in one location. We are grateful for our customer base, the love we have for those we serve and our continued commitment to Downtown Owosso.”
Owners Joe and Shannon Howansky established Birch & Elm in downtown Owosso in 2016. According to the Birch & Elm website, the store curates a “lifestyle brand that represents fashion market trends that reflect the communities they serve.”
You can read more about the store at its website.
You can check out its Facebook page by clicking here.
