Ellington

"When you look good, you feel good. Being in style is being unique and having your own style," says Jude Muse, owner of Treehouse Boutique.

Muse may have come from a large Italian family in Ohio, but her demeanor screams Southern girl.

Treehouse has a welcoming atmosphere, like the home of an old friend, and Muse wants it that way. The employees are friendly and try to ensure that every customer feels at home. That's Southern hospitality for you. As the owner of Treehouse, Muse believes good customer service keeps patrons coming back.

"Showing personal interest in customers builds community and lifelong friendships," she says. That's the heart of a Jacksonian.

Muse lives for fashion and retail. Working as a consultant for major retailers all over the U.S., she has a deep passion for making people feel good about themselves. Her line of work allows her to do just that.

Owning a small business in Jackson "is like heaven," Muse says, and her expectations have been met and far surpassed. The store carries the work of high-end fashion designers from around the world, and when Muse makes her way to markets in New York, Atlanta, or Dallas to bring home the latest fashions, she always keeps her Jackson customers in mind.

The boutique owner says she's always pleasantly surprised to see just how into fashion people in Jackson actually are. She realized early on that her customers have very individual styles and are concerned about their images. The fashion scene in Jackson, she says is "very hip."

The Treehouse isn't a huge store, but the space has been transformed to more suitably meet the needs of its customers and the community.

Because Fondren accepted her and her boutique with such open arms more than two years ago, Muse says she has no plans to move from her State Street locale. She doesn't ignore problems like crime, but she vows to never let it run her away from the place she loves.

"Moving doesn't change the fact that there is crime in Jackson. The city, community and merchants must come together to handle the issues," Muse says.

Muse believes that the cultural scene in Jackson helps to promote new fashion ideas. She has great aspirations for her business, as well as the city, and is excited about the renovations taking place in Fondren and downtown Jackson.