One building, five shops
Ashley Henley is only 20 years old. She’s a student at East Central Community College, a former Junior Miss, and currently holds the title of Miss Hospitality in Newton County. She also owns her own thriving business.
Although 20 may seem young for a business owner, Ashley got an early start, selling outfits she had designed for her poodle, Nikki, out of the family vehicle. A couple of years later, she started selling the clothes over the internet under the moniker “Dezignz by Nikki,” and eventually, with the help of her parents Kim and Ken, got a storefront for her business. Once Dezignz by Nikki got a storefront, it just couldn’t stop growing.
Now it is not just a boutique for doggie accessories, but a gift shop, coffee shop, deli, and full service florist. “We had growing pains,” Kim said of their move to a larger location.
The business, which is located in downtown Newton, now bears two names — Dezignz by Nikki, and The Coffee Cup Cafe. They still carry dog accessories from the “Nikki” line, but have added other doggie brands to the frey, and carry a variety of Mississippi-made gifts, ranging from candles to wallets, as well as the work of local artists.
