A new women’s fashion boutique has come to Cheney.

Lily Kate is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is located on the corner next to Pet Paradise on Second Street.

Lily Kate Fashion Boutique, owned and operated by Tina Sikkema, is a small clothing store that caters to women of all ages and sizes.

The store is named after Sikkema’s young, energetic daughter, who is often at the store with her. “She’s the inspiration,” said Sikkema.

“All of the kids’ clothes are hand selected by her. If she doesn’t like it we won’t take it. She’s the ultimate fashionista.”
Sikkema moved to Cheney with her husband and two children from California. Sikkema said she ran Lily Kate in California as well.

The store is small, with brightly-patterned clothing and a counter and fitting rooms made of light-colored wood frames contrasting with the sheet metal siding inlaid in it. Sikkema said her husband built these fixtures for her. “He’s my craftsman,” Sikkema said.

Lily Kate Fashion Boutique carries clothing from indie designers down in Los Angeles. Sikkema said it is great because “L.A. is a few months [fashion wise] ahead of everyone else, so when trends are ending there they’re starting here, so [customers] get the newest trends and I get them for a good price. The fashion cycle is working in our favor.”

Sikkema said prices range from $20 to $30, and that “you could build a whole outfit for $100.”

Items sold at Lily Kate are completely turned over once a month. “We restock about once a week, and about two to three times a month we get new stuff,” Sikkema said. So once the current stock is gone, unless it is really popular, it is gone.

The store opened on Feb. 1, and the grand opening is scheduled for April 1. “We had balloons in the windows as we were setting up, to keep people from peeking, so all around town people were talking about what was going into the ‘balloon store,’” Sikkema said.

Sikkema is trying to be actively involved in the Cheney community.

She said she joined the Cheney Merchants Association and that every Saturday she will host tutu making lessons at her store. “They’re really easy to make,” said Sikkema. “If you can tie your shoe you can make a tutu.” Lessons will be $20 a tutu and are on a walk-in basis.