If asked as a child what type of store she wanted to open, Taylor Norton would have replied a bookstore. She described her younger self as a girly girl who was interested in fashion—but had no intentions of owning a boutique.

However, once she entered the retail scene, she fell in love with it.

“I say all the time, it takes a very special breed, but once you are in it and you love it, it just never leaves your blood. ... I think there is something special about being a part of people's lives in such a way,” Norton said.

Norton opened MaKenzie Layne five years ago in League City, and she’s on a mission to inspire confidence in others through their closet.

What they offer

Available online or in-store, the boutique offers a selection of clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, along with other unique items such as locally roasted coffee and candles. The boutique also features a hat bar and a permanent jewelry station.

Norton said she only buys from reputable vendors to ensure customers get the quality they are paying for, and tries to keep products as local as possible.

In the last two years, Norton said she’s really honed in on the idea of inspiring confidence through clothing, acknowledging that confidence means something different to everyone.

“For some people, confidence is just feeling good, like they like the jeans that they put on,” Norton said. “For some people, confidence is not having a question when they go into their closet; they know [they're] gonna love everything in there.”

The local impact

When asked about her favorite part of owning MaKenzie Layne, Norton said it’s the customer relations she has developed in the community.

“I have customers that have become friends through our store, people that go to the church that I go to now because of the store ... praying with our customers, they come in [feeling] really high or really low, and just being there for them,” Norton said.

Every month, Norton opens the boutique up to the community for a variety of events. She hosts a monthly game night on Fridays during the school year and a daytime bingo game for those who prefer to stay in on the weekend.

Additionally, she hosts vendor markets, inviting 3-4 different vendors to set up in her store to promote their services, such as tattoo pop-up shops or children's boutiques. The boutique also offers men’s events during the holidays, where they can come in and have assistance shopping for their loved ones.

Looking ahead

As a woman-owned small business, Norton said she feels like she can show more individuality in her shop. She also said she believes small businesses are the heart of a community, supporting schools, nonprofits and other local businesses when they need donations or more support.

As for the future, Norton says she intends to “be here for good.”

“We also truly believe that everybody has a story, and we're telling that story through our style, and that story evolves over time,” Norton said.

• 1830 W. Main St., League City
• www.makenzielayneboutique.com