USD senior opens boutique in Vermillion
University of South Dakota students will soon be able to buy clothing at a new boutique in Vermillion managed by a fellow Coyote.
Fia Rose, located at 918 E. Cherry St., opened over the summer and is now managed by USD senior Carly Holmstrom. Holmstrom is involved in cross country and is majoring in strategic communication and environmental science. The runner had the idea for Fia Rose while working as an assistant to Karen Bankowski at Sunflower Photography in downtown Sioux Falls, which later became the first location of Fia Rose.
“Half of the space was used for photography, and had good light, and then the other half we couldn’t use for photos,” Holmstrom said. “So we were brainstorming what to do in that space, and that’s when we came up with Fia Rose.”
The store was named after Bankowski’s daughter, Sofia Rose. In the store, students and other customers will find USD apparel and other women’s clothing. The store also offers shoes and accessories.
Holmstrom spent the summer before her senior year working at the Sioux Falls store location. Bankowski and Holmstrom then looked into expanding their store this summer when they learned the Vermillion location was open. They quickly ordered stock and opened the store.
Some students are excited about having more shopping options in town. First-year student Tia Adamson is especially excited about the store being run by a student peer.
“I am super glad to be able to go to a store brought up by a fellow ‘Yote,” Adamson said. “It’s inspiring and helpful to be able to ask her to order clothes we’re interested in.”
Fia Rose has also seen some interest within the Vermillion community.
“The store is super cute and thought out. I was floored by the prices,” said Kimberly Andres, USD assistant to the vice president in Marketing Enrollment and University Relations. “They were so reasonable and not at all what I thought I would see.”
When she was told she could manage the store in Vermillion throughout the school year, Holmstrom was hesitant to take on the responsibility.
“I’m in cross country, and this is my senior year, so I was a little worried about it,” she said. “But we have a great staff working here, so I think it will be busy, but I think it will be really fun.”
(Senior Carly Holmstrom is the manager of the new Fia Rose store in Vermillion. Holmstrom and Karen Bankowski first started the clothing boutique last year in Sioux Falls and decided to expand to Vermillion this summer. Katie McGuire / The Volante)
