(SB) - Holiday shopping can be a chore, especially when you don’t know what to buy for that certain someone. Luckily for those in the Sgt. Bluff, Gypsy Soul Boutique has their backs.
   “A lot of the people who shop with us are in our database, so we can help people who come in looking for a gift,” said Owner Cyndi Nelson. “That’s one of the benefits of being a small-town business – we know most of our customers really, really well. We know what they like, their size and so on.”
   In fact, Gypsy Soul Boutique, located at 114 Gaul Drive, is making it even easier for all holiday shoppers. The store is offering a 12 Days of Christmas event with specials every day from December 12th through the 24th. The store is also holding a Men’s Night on December 15 for guys to come in and shop for their significant others.
   “We’ll be giving away free cigars with purchase, and we’ll have free beer and pizza too,” said Nelson. “We’ll make the shopping experience really easy and really geared towards men.”
   Men’s Night will also feature pre-made gift bundles that include things like bath bombs and candles, along with a Gypsy Soul Boutique gift card. Guys will also be able to shop for themselves on Men’s Night. The men’s line is one of the newest additions to the store’s lineup and a new collection with drop the same day.
   “There’s not a lot of men’s clothing stores so we wanted to give men the opportunity to find good quality pieces,” she said. “We went to market in Las Vegas and found a couple brands not carried anywhere around here. We’ve had really positive feedback and a lot of customers who keep coming back.”
   Nelson has also expanded into offering other lines as well, including girls’ clothing, home décor items like holiday-specific items, wooden signs and candles, and a hat bar.
   “Hat bars usually are in bigger cities, they’re all the rage down south right now. Essentially, you come in – it’s really fun with a group – choose a hat or bring your own and accessorize it,” said Nelson. “It’s just a way of creating your own unique hat.”
   The hat bar features feathers, beads, broaches, scarves and ribbons that customers can use to embellish their own or the store’s wide brim, felt hats.
   “We also have a branding tool that burns pictures or words into the hat. We've had a couple of hat bar parties where friends come and have drinks in food and then decorate their hats.”
   While the hat bar can easily be an event with friends, it is available anytime someone comes into the store.
   Gypsy Soul Boutique also opens its shelves to local producers. The store carries Katie and Company Candles, located out of Anthon, Iowa, earrings by Sioux City’s Hillary Duncan Designs, shirts from Small Town Girls Boutique in Sgt. Bluff and other local companies like In the Sand’s Apparel and Divine Oil Company.
   “It’s really important to us that we are supporting small local businesses and we have a unique platform to display them,” said Nelson. “A lot of people start these side hustles in their houses because it’s something they’re passionate about and enjoy doing. And once they try to turn it into a business, sometimes they just don’t get the exposure they want. That’s something we really wanted to focus on and we’re really proud of having those small businesses in our own small business.”
   No matter which items customers choose, they can be certain to find something unique and employees who are willing to go out of their way to help.
   “When we go to market, we’re not thinking about what would sell to a hundred people but more about what our current customers would love. I can tell you who our customers are, their size and what would be great for them specifically,” said Nelson. “We’re really shopping for the people that we know support us and that we have created that relationship with. There are big online boutiques that may have good relationships with their customers via email and social media, but we like the face-to-face impact we can make and value the relationships we have with our customers.”
   Nelson and her husband Matt opened Gypsy Soul Boutique in 2021. Besides the men’s, girls’ and home décor items, the store features modern-style women’s clothing. There are styles for teens, a complete athletic-wear section, fitted dresses, sweatpants and every other type of clothing in all sizes, including plus sizes. It also carries some accessories like handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, beach towels and more.
   The boutique is located just a couple of doors down from Nelson’s other business, Hawks Coffee Shop, which she opened in 2019. The coffee shop is a favorite local spot for coffee, lunch and fun special events. As busy as she is, she said she’s looking forward to what 2023 will bring.
   “We really look forward to continuing the men’s line and growing our online presence. But we’re really going to be focusing on continuing to create great relationships with our customers and we're really excited for what 2023 is going to bring to us.”
   Customers can keep up with everything Gypsy Soul Boutique will be offering this holiday through its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/gypsysoulboutiqueia, Instagram page, www.instagram.com/gypsysoulboutique.ia and also its website, https://gypsysoulboutiqueia.com/.