L3 Boutique in Pinckneyville set to celebrate 5 years in business | Local Business

She adds that another advantage of carrying smaller quantities comes through the law of supply and demand.

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“People know that if I post something on social media and they love it, they need to come in and grab it,” she explains.

Heine says she also is mindful of being in a small town when it comes to pricing and to her role in the community.

“I try to give back to the community, especially the schools,” she says, adding that much of the staff at L3 Boutique are area high school students, gaining exposure not only to work, but to retail and to customer service. She says she also tries to pass along the things she has learned in the last five years.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself personally and I’ve learned that owning your own business is harder than it looks,” she says. “I’ve also learned that it is OK to ask for help and one really good piece of advice I was given was to do what works for you.”

For that reason, Heine originally set her store hours as noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday to give her time with her small children. She’s kept the same hours ever since, complimented by an online presence, which she says has been a huge help through the pandemic.

“The fact that I am almost to year five, especially during the pandemic, is huge. It’s because of the community and the surrounding communities who have supported me,” she says. “People are choosing to shop small and it’s something I’ll never take for granted.”