Alicia Rainwater stands outside her new store, Aloha Boutique, in Ocean View.
When Alicia Rainwater was a child, she was asked the same question most kids get asked in school: “What do you want to do when you grow up?” She had no problem answering.
fashion.
More specifically, Rainwater dreamed of having her own clothing store. It had always been her dream. Since she was 12 years old, she would watch videos of others opening their own stores, research everything a store entails, and hope that one day it would be hers too.
In November 2023, Rainwater told her father she was going to open her own store. Just 19, one year out of high school, she had planned to enroll at Savannah College of Art and Design to get a degree in fashion, but decided against it. A fashion degree wouldn't teach her much about opening her own store, she decided. But after seven years of study, she had a good idea of how it would be done. Her father taught her a lot about budgeting, marketing, and all things money-related. And he was a very successful businessman, despite never having gone to college. What's stopping her from doing the same?
All of this, plus the idea that she had to wait just one more minute to make her dream a reality, led her to start Aloha Boutique.
Her first priority was to get a building. Rainwater began her search on Route 26 (Atlantic Avenue) for a vacant building that would fit her needs. After considering many options (excluding one in Dagsboro that she particularly liked for its location), she finally settled on an inconspicuous building on Atlantic Avenue. She ended up going to see the place for the first time, spoke with the owner that same day, and secured the property. Her first priority was already crossed off her list.
Now that she owns the building, she has many other priorities to attend to: checking the electrical, installing fire extinguishers, putting up exit signs, locking the front and back doors – all before she can finally get her business license.
While she worked on her license, she paid for a building permit, with which she would turn her store vision into reality. All of the construction work had to be done by Rainwater and her parents, who helped out whenever they could. Every day, Rainwater would go out to the building with her mother and get to work. In just over a month, all of the construction work on the store was completed.
Now that we have our business permit and all the construction is done, we had to decide on an opening date. We were going to wait until the new year, but January is a slow month for the beach area shops and we didn't want to open so early. So we decided to open in February. Our opening date is February 2nd.
Shortly after the new year, Rainwater began buying items for her store. With spring just around the corner, she opted for brighter beachwear. She bought from brands like Tropical Society, Sunkissed Coconut, Urban Daisy and Mustard Seed. From bikinis to floral dresses, sweatshirts to quarter zips, hats and jewelry, she bought what she could. But it would take a month or two for the items to arrive at her door. All she could do was wait. Wait and worry.
What if the store fails? What if no one comes? But what if it's successful?
Those were the questions that ran through her mind as she waited for that memorable day in February.
In the days leading up to the grand opening, Rainwater took to Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to count down the days, hoping to get as many people as possible to come to the store. She posted that customers could come and drink wine and eat sandwiches at the opening, and that there would be live music by Dustin Showers.
It was a Friday, February 2, and the front of the store was decorated with an arch of black and white balloons, along with a few copper-colored balloons, and directly above it was a sign that read “Aloha Boutique,” a sign that they were only allowed to hang after getting a sign permit.
Rainwater is the only person working there and cashiers all purchases. Depending on how many people come, she has a lot of work to handle. At 11 a.m., she puts up a sign on the front door that reads, “Come in. We're Open.”
The turnout was greater than she had expected.
Customers came in and out of her store. People picked up clothes from hangers in the fitting rooms and tried them on. Those who came empty-handed took whatever caught their eye. Her family was there, too, supporting her in any way they could. Friends came to see her, as did some of Rainwater's former coworkers.
Aloha Boutique continues to thrive as spring turns to summer. And as summer turns to fall, Rainwater plans to adjust her inventory and sell more fall-appropriate clothing. She's constantly looking for new clothes for the store and posting them on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to show off to customers, old and new.
Rainwater enjoys helping every customer who comes through the store, and even when there are no customers in the store, she's happy to stand at the counter as the day goes by. Aloha Boutique is the realization of Rainwater's childhood dream, so naturally, every moment spent there is a memory she cherishes.
Come visit our boutique at 5 Atlantic Ave. in Ocean View.
