Saturday Mornings hosting Grand Opening event Saturday, Sept. 1

The Saturday Mornings store in Whitehall is under new ownership and will have a new look for customers.

New owner Shannon Scheffel is hosting a grand opening event Saturday, September 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the store located at 7 N. Main in downtown Whitehall.

She said Saturday Mornings will have a complete new feel.

"There will be some antiques and furniture, but I will be featuring men and women's apparel from The Montana Scene from hats to hoodies, t-shirts to tank tops. Along with the clothing line I will have jewelry, farmhouse-looking scented candles and whole bean coffee. The atmosphere is a blend of outdoorsy 'Montana' meets the comforts of home," she said.

Scheffel is excited to begin the adventure of entrepreneurship and said owning a small boutique has been something she has wanted to do for years. With her husband Jacob starting his own business two years ago, she said helping him with bookkeeping and the day-to-day operating really gave her the knowledge she needed to make purchasing the store a reality.

Scheffel is friends with the previous owner Dawn Lewton who she said asked her if she had any interest in buying it.

"I had worked in the store here and there for two years and in that time I really came to love the store and the customers it drew in. I thought and prayed about the proposition for several months. I asked other business owners and friends for insight. After a few months I decided to take the plunge. Without Dawn, my husband, and the support of this town I would not be able to take this leap. The process has been seamless. I'm amazed at how smoothly everything has gone from the business applications to ordering merchandise," she said.

There will be free coffee samples and appetizers throughout the grand opening, with Scheffel adding she will have a drawing for customers to "Like" and "Tag" a friend on my Facebook and/or Instagram page.

"The only hiccup is having to have my tonsils removed two weeks before the grand opening -- so if I can't speak on Saturday, you'll know why," she said.

Following the grand opening, the stores hours will be Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"I love our little town and the people in it. I want the store to be a place that our community can benefit from and be proud of," she said.