We welcome My Wild Child Boutique to the growing number of sustainable businesses in the Driftless Area. Danielle Olson opened her business on Main Street in Viroqua in December 2023 and offers a wide variety of natural items for babies, toddlers and their moms.
What prompted you to start your business?
We moved to the Viroqua area in late summer of 2023, and my mother came to visit a few months later. She wanted to find a nice children's store to get some things for my children, but there wasn't anything like that available! I told this to my husband, Isaiah Jones, who replied, "Well, then why don't you open a children's shop?" It seemed like a good fit, as I was looking for a part-time business I could do with my children alongside me, particularly my fourth child born in November.
When building your business, did you always have a goal of carrying natural products and reducing waste?
Yes! A natural children's boutique was always the plan. Offering natural fibers and toys, as well as items made from recycled and reused materials, is important to me because not only am I concerned with what comes into contact with my children's skin, but I also want to support more sustainable consuming.
How did that decision impact how you decorated the shop and the items that you carry?
My husband was able to use old cedar tree trunks and branches to make our clothing racks and locally milled pine wood for other infrastructure in the store. All of the other furniture thus far has also been used pieces.
We purchase our items from small makers that feature natural fibers; some materials are even handprinted with blocks. We aim to sell as many items from local vendors as possible and hope to create a little hub of "moms creating for other moms" with natural clothing, shoes, diapers, and other items. We've spoken with a handful of other businesses in the area on how we can jointly offer items and services that mothers need in the community, such as a potential diaper cleaning service. In addition, we offer a consignment corner with high quality and natural fiber infant and children’s clothing, cloth diapers, and gear. Plus, we have a "free rack" where people can choose to donate items for others to grab for free.
What types of items do you offer for sale in your store?
You will find our store filled with fun, screen-printed t-shirts, leggings and pants, and a plethora of outdoor gear - from rainsuits and boots to swimwear to locally-made repurposed wool mittens. We stock a host of sand, water and sun toys to keep little ones outdoors longer, and sun hats to help with that, too! There are natural items for mama as well: balms and soaps, nursing wear, maternity clothing, and nursing pads. Local artwork for children's rooms adorns the walls as well as a plethora of wool and silk toys to inspire the imagination. Shirts, cards, and macramé handmade by local youth can be found. Of course, the baby basics are here: swaddles, mittens, hats and bonnets, burp cloths, onesies, booties, milestone cards, and more.
What pitfalls have you run into when working to reduce your waste?
Our biggest issue is clothing that is individually wrapped in plastic. Some brands are using more paper, some compostable packaging, and some are giving up individual packaging altogether. We hope to stop purchasing from brands that use plastic in 2025.
Have you encountered any surprises along the way?
The biggest surprise was the support from the community, and the opportunity to meet so many new families we otherwise would have never bumped into. I have also been pleasantly surprised to see how many customers bring their own shopping bags even though we offer paper bags.
The Olson-Jones Family
Visit My Wild Child Boutique at 210 S. Main Street in Viroqua
and online at mywildchildboutique.com.
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