Whim and Wise Modern Mercantile: New boutique aims for 'fun, exciting, unique experience'
Specialty fashion, jewelry, home décor and personal customer service Rapid City shoppers won't find elsewhere awaits at Whim and Wise Modern Mercantile.
The shop at 515 Main St. is a thoughtful collection of items curated by owner Sasha Campbell. Before opening Whim and Wise Modern Mercantile Oct. 18, she honed her distinctive approach to retail while working for Anthropologie in Chicago. Campbell also helped run two local boutiques her family owns – Karma and Annex.
"When I worked at Anthropologie, they really are like masters at creating a collection. They don't just have their own brand; it's a bunch of different brands. It's like a large lifestyle boutique. ... They make it cohesive even though it's very eclectic," Campbell said. "I wanted to create that fun, exciting, unique experience for Rapid City women."
"People like the whole experience of it because I'm selling a little bit of everything. I really had a vision with it," Campbell said. "It's not random things put in a store. It's all part of a story."
Whim and Wise Modern Mercantile brings to life Campbell's desire for a chic, sophisticated lifestyle boutique filled with well-made, quality products.
"I want people to see something new, especially with clothing," said Campbell, who visited other stores in the area to determine what she could carry that would be different.
Her clothing lines focus a lot on dresses, which can be hard to find locally. At Whim and Wise, women can find dresses suitable for special events, along with jackets, shirts and other clothing for every day, and French silk scarves. Campbell, a longtime fan of the TV show "What Not to Wear," enjoys helping her customers put together looks they'll love.
"I really try to create complete looks not only in the store window to compel people to come in, but when they come in, I'll assist them with a whole outfit if they desire," Campbell said. "I really found it helpful for myself when I went into stores if entire outfits were put together."
To complete any outfit, Whim and Wise carries jewelry and will be bringing in more. There's organic-looking jewelry with natural stones, and dainty, classic pieces. French-style chunky statement jewelry is a dramatic style trends at Campbell's shop.
"It's going to look good on outfits. You're going to notice it. I've not seen it anywhere else in town," Campbell said.
For a finishing touch, Whim and Wise carries clean chemical-free perfumes that have already been a hit with customers.
The mercantile's home décor encompasses an array of products such as whimsical cat salt and pepper shakers, mugs and signs. Campbell said ornaments and Christmas-themed items are coming soon. The shop's line of kitchen and gift items includes Art Deco-style glass jar candles and LED candles, recycled wine glasses and recycled heavy bar glasses.
"I'm really tactile. I like different textures. I like things that feel like they're well-made but also not crazy expensive," Campbell said.
Though Campbell has an undergraduate degree in graphic design and a master's degree in nutrition, her passion is retail. After leaving her family's businesses, she took a break for a year but her love of retail inspired her to open her own store.
"I was itching to get back into downtown on the sales floor, interacting with people again," Campbell said.
Campbell strives to give customers personalized service that will set Whim and Wise apart.
"I have experience cultivating brands ... and explaining the benefits of them, rather than just relying on bringing in big names. I have a lot of fun with introducing people to new brands," she said.
"I appreciate those kinds of places (with helpful customer service) so I want to be that kind of place. People who know the products and know the store, they're going to be able to suggest things that I'm not going to know anything about, and I so appreciate that. I'll try things on that I maybe never would have tried on or pair things together I would have never done on my own. The way I feel when I get that kind of service – I would like to extend that out," Campbell said.
Whim and Wise Modern Mercantile is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Campbell is planning "a fun party" grand opening later this fall or winter; follow Whim and Wise on Instagram and Facebook for more information.
Our best Rapid City staff photos and video of October 2024A collection of some of our best photos from October of 2024.
Scenes from the Wednesday, Oct. 2 Freshman Impact simulated drunk driving car crash. Scenes from Wednesday Oct. 2 Freshman Impact simulated drunk driving car crash. Rapid City Central junior running back Brayden Jackson (24) fights past defenders for a chunk of yardage during the first half of the Friday, ... BHSU redshirt senior Doodle Quinones (26) celebrates after recovering a muffed punt during the fourth quarter of the 139th Black Hills Brawl b... Philip senior quarterback Talan Haynes (12) prepares to chuck the football deep during the first half of a Friday, Oct. 4 contest between the ... Left to right: Barb Schuch, Michele Freed, Kimmy Hayes, Dianne Ellwein, Caran Smith, Apryl Ghents, Lisa Ficek, Ruth Patterson, Stephanie Schon... Rapid City Christian junior Joaquin Petrik (5) attempts to block a kick from Belle Fourche freshman defender Brahnson Brink (2) during the fir... Philip junior running back Tyce Gropper (2) collects a pass during the first half of the Friday, Oct. 4 matchup between the Scotties and Hill ... Spearfish junior Adelyn Bouman (3) throws down the hammer past St. Thomas More senior Alexa Scherr during Tuesday's contest between the Sparta... Spearfish junior goalkeeper Ryder Allbright stops a Rapid City Stevens shot on goal during a matchup between the Spartans and Raiders, held th... Joe Guttierez of Pennington County Juvenile Services poses with his white BHSU helmet, a memento of his time as a Yellow Jacket. Bennett County eighth grader Peyson O'Neill goes up for a kill during the Lakota Nation Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Summit Arena at Th... St. Thomas More freshman outside hitter Lauren Poeppel (12) and Philip sophomore Kale Peterson (10) battle at the net during the first set of ... South Dakota Mines fifth-year quarterback Jake Martinelli (12) fires a pass down the field during the first half of the 139th Black Hills Braw... A local climber tackles a route at Wrinkled Rock near Keystone. Bennett County freshman Reagan O'Neill goes airborne before hammering down a kill during the Lakota Nation Invitational, held on Saturday, Oct... A local climber tackles a route at Wrinkled Rock near Keystone.
