La Salle women’s boutique will be under new ownership

Kelley Cawley remembers the first customer who walked into her small downtown La Salle boutique.

“I remember what you purchased. I remember our conversation because it was the beginning of a dream for me,” she said in a live video posted to Kelley Cawley’s Facebook page Friday announcing her departure.

Cawley thanked her customers, family, staff, vendors, other business owners and city of La Salle for their support since opening in 2004. She started in a smaller storefront in downtown La Salle before moving to a larger, renovated building at 701 First St., La Salle.

Cawley and her family are moving out of state to pursue a new opportunity, she said.

“I have an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up that I feel so incredibly blessed to have,” she said in the video. “I thought I would be doing what I’m doing today forever. I’m a true testament to say that you don’t really know your life journey.”

The new owner is Heather Milus, a longtime Kelley Cawley employee.

“Heather joined in 2009 and we were side by side until today,” she said. “Heather is the right person to be taking the company over.

“She’s going to take this company … and make sure it continues on in such amazing ways.”

Milus said the transition is bittersweet and she feels honored for the opportunity. She said the customers made the decision for her, as she wanted to carry the store on for them.

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