Iowa City mother daughter duo keep historic downtown boutique in fashion

On any given day, if you plan to sit out on the Ped Mall in Iowa City to chat with Connie and Catherine Champion, prepare to be interrupted.

Not rudely, mind you. It's just that between the two of them, Connie and Catherine Champion know just about every other person walking down the street. From a young college student heading to his after school job, to girlfriends out shopping for new shoes and an elderly couple heading out to dinner, the Champions are greeted by many of their Iowa City neighbors and friends.

Over the last several decades, the mother/ daughter duo has made an impact on their community as business owners and local leaders.

Their store, Catherine's Boutique, has been a retail staple of downtown Iowa City since the 1960s. Connie, 77, purchased Catherine's from the estate of Francoise Girard, the daughter of the original Catherine, Catherine Wiltfang, in 1981. 'It was the only place I ever shopped,' Connie said. 'My husband bought all my gifts here, so it was a natural fit to buy the store.' Originally located in the Jefferson Building, Catherine's has been located at 7 S. Dubuque Street for more than 40 years. Connie's daughter, Catherine, 51, moved back to Iowa City a couple of years ago and has taken over management of the boutique. (Catherine's first name perfectly befits her role as shop owner, but just happens to be a happy coincidence.)

'It's always been a hometown store,' Catherine said. 'Catherine's is obviously a women's clothing store, but it has a general store feel. Our unique half door is always open. And you know everyone here. That's part of its charm.'

Catherine said the mix of merchandise has, of course, changed many times over the past 40 years. 'We focus on offering brands that our customers know and love. Things that they can rely on, things that are current, but ageless.'

But Catherine and her team are always trying to learn and change. 'The store is an evolution for sure. I'm not married to anything. If our guests aren't interested, I move on. My only job is to find things that work for them, period. I think it's my Marshall Field's training, where I went through a customer service boot camp. I am so grateful that I was allowed to make mistakes, and most importantly, allowed to fix them. It was the best and hardest training I ever had to do. Now, I remember to focus 100 percent on the customer, and everything else will fall in place.'

With that in mind, the Champions completely remodeled the store this spring. Historic and architectural details were uncovered, including an original tin wall to the south and the original window seat in the front.

'We wanted to bring the building that we've enjoyed for so long back to its core. The space is original and beautiful.'

Catherine said she, too, recently figured out where to focus her passions, getting back to basics. 'I am putting my energy here,' she said of the shop, having decided to pull back from several boards and other businesses. 'I just want to work in the store we have and make it strong. Everything I do, I want to do within these walls. It's the best decision I ever made, but it did take me a few years to figure that out. We have a great team, great brands, a great interior, a great community and the greatest customers in the world.'

There's no doubt that the customers, many of whom have become friends, make the work worthwhile for the Champions.

'This is a small business, and we've all grown up together,' Catherine said. 'I also love the analytics and challenges of a small business. I could look at the numbers all day long. I never stop learning, improving and tweaking our formulas.'

Working together in the boutique has enhanced Connie and Catherine's mother-daughter relationship.

Speaking about her mother, Catherine said, 'She is the strongest gender role model I've ever experienced. And it is fun to actually know each other as people, as adults.'

'We do get along pretty well,' added Connie. 'Catherine has really taken the store over. I basically come in three days a week to do the books and pay the bills and yell at Catherine about money. Catherine does all the buying.'

The Champions are, not surprisingly, huge supporters of shopping locally. But they don't just talk the talk. For example, their recent store remodel was completed using 100 percent local products and labor. 'We believe in keeping the cycle of life going with small business,' said Connie.

'Every dime that my mother and I personally have is spent locally,' added Catherine. 'It's just how we are. But I think people in Iowa City realize this is an ecosystem. Just look at the businesses around us. Everybody around us is interesting, independent and accepting of others around them and is engaged in the community and working for the good of this community. It's a town of small businesses.'

While Connie, who first moved to Iowa City in 1966, is, of course, known for her connection to the shop, she is also well known around the community for more than two decades of service in elected office. 'I was very active at my children's school, and then at one school board meeting I asked a couple of question and someone told me I should run for school board after that. So I did and I won.'

After three terms on the school board, she took a year off before deciding to run for City Council. Connie ended up serving on the City Council for 16 years, through 2013. 'It was fun,' she said. 'I enjoyed it, and it kept me out of trouble.' She said she's very proud of some of the tough decisions over the years, such as the decision to extend First Avenue, putting city funds toward the renovationof the Englert Theatre and voting to ensure equal rights for LGBTQ members of the community.

'A lot of things got done over the years, and I don't remember all the gory details,' she said. 'I was not always the voice of reason, but I was pretty definite about what I believed in.'

Catherine said her mother managed all of her commitments through the years with admirable grace. 'That's what I've learned from my mom is that she has been so good at segmenting her life,' Catherine said. 'She's very good at siloing and doing a great job with whatever she is doing. My parents had eight children, six foster children, ran businesses and a medical practice. My mother was the president of the school board and served on City Council for 16 years. And I never heard a complaint ever about time, expectations or people. Never.'

Catherine added, 'We were raised with a strong conviction that service, community and family were an unwavering part of your life. It's seamless to my parents and seamless to me. Acts of giving, in whatever your capacity, is expected.'

*This article was originally published in the fall 2017 issue of The Gazette's HER: Women in Business magazine.*