Riah Jane & Co offers great women's clothing and more

When Riah Jane & Co opens in Downtown Jasper Saturday, it will be the next big step for Mariah Schneider in a journey that began over a year ago when she launched her online boutique.

It started with a gut feeling. The trained dental assistant was looking for something more in regard to a career when she returned to dental school two years ago. But during that time, she felt a yearning to do something else. "I’m very creative," she explained.

As she dug into her creative side, another part of her life began to shape her vision.

"I was having some issues with finding my style (clothing)," she explained.

She describes herself as a bit curvy, and she prefers clothing that is feminine and casual, modest and comfortable.

As she was looking at different styles and suppliers, the clothing she found went from assuaging her own fashion woes to a business idea. There had to be other women seeking the same styles she preferred.

At the time, she was constantly traveling for work. "We were busy; we have kids. He (Garrett, her husband) was always traveling for work," Mariah said.

It was time to try something new, so she switched her focus from continuing her education with plans of becoming a dental hygienist to becoming the CEO of her own boutique business. She connected with a coaching group that helps women launch retail stores, and they guided her through the process of developing her ambition into an actionable business plan.

She launched Riah Jane & Co as an online boutique and pop-up shop with the additional goal of creating a supportive community for women through a Facebook group called Riah Jane & Co Family.

They were looking for a retail location when Jamie Jahn reached out last November to invite her to be part of a pop-up market in downtown Jasper. Jamie and her husband, Kyle, own the building on the northwest quadrant of the square that houses Jamie's business, Downtown Fitness & Running, as well as Merle Norman.

"It went really well," Mariah said. "And we could see there was a need here."

For Mariah and her husband, Garrett, it is a bit of a pinch-me moment. The couple had been planning on moving back to Jasper and, when they had lived here previously, had even walked around the Square talking about what it would be like to have a shop downtown. Now, the invitation from Jamie and conversations with the Heart of Jasper have brought those random musings to reality.

It is an unexpected transition for the couple that came from a realization they had from living in multiple communities because of Garrett's military service and job requirements. Garrett had grown up in Jasper and left for the Army immediately after graduation. His intention was to never return except to visit family.

But as they moved around, they found that these cities and communities they were living in were missing things they had grown accustomed to in Jasper.

"We lived in a lot of other communities, and it wasn't like they were missing one thing; they were missing multiple things," Garrett explained. "It's the city, the community, the work ethic, the entrepreneurship that really drew us back."

The couple is a team in the new boutique that officially opens Saturday. Mariah is the creative entrepreneur guiding the business, while Garrett prefers to be behind the scenes covering the logistics and operations. They have three children, Adilynn, Greyson and Theo. Adilynn and Greyson were helping get the shop ready on Wednesday, with other family members helping out as well.

Riah Jane & Co will carry clothing that is budget friendly with a range of styles that include loose-fitting dresses, blouses, shorts and jewelry. She will have Kancan Jeans and is carrying a line of waterproof and hypoallergenic jewelry from Brenda Grands Jewelry — she knows women will love the jewelry and being able to wear it in water.

When considering what to name the business, Mariah fell back on a nickname her parents had given her when she was little. "Riah is obviously part of Mariah, but Jane is not even my middle name," she explained. "It was just something they called me, so it stuck."

The nickname connects her to the business in a natural and meaningful way.

You can learn more about Riah Jane & Co online here and follow them on Facebook here. The store number is 812-800-8742 and it is located on the Square at 609 Main Street.

For Mariah, this store is the culmination of a gut feeling. A gut feeling that she could really be part of providing a great service and community for others.

"Honestly, I really love the relationships this has allowed me to build," Mariah said. "I love being able to serve people and bring my creativity to life."

Along with Riah Jane & Co opening on Saturday, Merle Norman Cosmetics is celebrating Dana Berger's eighth year as the owner with live music. Downtown Fitness & Running will celebrate moving into its new location. All the businesses are located in what Kyle and Jamie are calling the Wood Capitol Building.

Here is the schedule of events:

Riah Jane & Co (609 Main Street) – Grand Opening from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Register for a $100 e-gift card and the first 25 customers can create their own bouquet from Hoosier Blooms.

Merle Norman (607 Main Street) – Eight-Year Anniversary – see the new updates to the store! Fettered Permanent Jewelry will be in-store from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. RSVP to reserve a time at [email protected]. Live music provided by Merle Norman will be Jon & Stacey by the fire pit!

Downtown Fitness & Running (605 Main Street) – Moved to a new store – Sydo's Cookie Co. will have a pop-up. Purchase delicious cookies and shop for new shoes.