The Yellow Button, a clothing boutique for the fashionable in the heart of Harrisonburg, knows its cutomer. Students and  professionals in the Shendandoah Valley don’t want to give up access to quality clothes and accessories just because they’re not in a major urban area. In fact, this 2009 photo shoot, which uses Harrisonburg’s downtown streets as a backdrop, makes the town look pretty cosmopolitan. That couple on the Vespa would be at home on Rome’s Via  Borgognona.

“Our downtown location appealed to me because the store has character,” says twenty-something owner Miranda Lancaster.  “It’s not like every other store around.”

The business received a facade grant from Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance to adorn the Main Street boutique with name-appropriate yellow awnings. “The HDR staff has been extremely helpful and supportive from the beginning,” says Lancaster.  The Yellow Button, opened in 2009, has also benefitted from Lancaster’s retail experience and thoughtful customer care. “We’re helpful without being pushy. It’s a comfortable place to shop,” she says. “And we’ve grown a lot through word of mouth and social media marketing strategies, including Facebook.”

Her advice for new businesses owners: watch costs as you start out. “Working a lot, and by yourself if possible, at the beginning will keep your payroll costs down and help you establish strong relationships with your customers.”

To become one of those customers, visit the shop in downtown Harrisonburg at 191 South Main Street.