Shops provide personal service

In the town of Washington, Iowa, you might be surprised by the wide variety of unique and unusual shops that you'll find as you walk around the square.

Aimee Enfield owns one such store, Jaz It Up, which she describes “as a unique mix of home décor and personal accessories.”

A native of Washington, Enfield had a floral design business that she ran out of her home. About five years ago, she decided to open up her own storefront on the south side of the square.

She admits that owning Jaz It Up “has been an adventure. It's been a great experience.”

Although she started by creating custom made floral designs, Enfield has expanded into more decorative items for the home and personal items like jewelry and scarves. She feels that her shop and the other shops and boutiques in downtown Washington provide a unique alternative to the mall.

“Our customers like unique stores with really good customer service and a friendly atmosphere with that personal one-on-one, that gives us an advantage,” Enfield says.

In downtown Washington, a large number of the local shops are owned and operated by women. Enfield is part of a group of five shops that are owned by women.

Enfield works with another woman in her family, her mother Jane, in providing in-home design services. “I'm not an interior designer, but a home decorator,” Enfield says. “We can help pick out furniture, carpet colors, paint colors, put it all together and then accessorize with wall décor and lamps.”Enfield points out that, “Lots of people don't know what to do with their things, and if you just move them a little bit and add a punch of color or something here or there, you can completely transform a room.” Enfield and her team also do a lot of holiday decorating. “We go in and use their Christmas decorations and most of the time they want us to bring some new, fresh pieces.” She charges an hourly fee for her design services and “will go wherever they want us to come.”

Enfield finds it very fulfilling to help her customers. “People are so excited and satisfied when you go in and help them with their décor.”