JACKSON, MI – Michele Hinkley found her inspiration for her boutique store Windy Hill Creations more than 30 years ago.
After graduating from Dearborn High School, she moved to “an old gun club” in Mason with her husband Darrin and daughter Chloe. She said the metal walls lacked insulation, so everyone stayed warm around a “big, old stone fireplace.”
“We had a blast living in the country,” she said, seated next to a fake version of that fireplace in her current boutique store. “We didn’t even think about living in the city then.”
Windy Hill Creations now exists at 217 N. Jackson St., right smack in the middle of the revamped downtown Jackson shopping district. Since starting in her home in 1994, Hinkley has operated the store in downtown Brooklyn and most recently inside Rustic Market, 139 N. Jackson St.
Since opening in her latest location last month, Hinkley has worked to recreate the minimalist “industrial chic” decor. This includes sanded stone floors, white walls and metal hangers.
The store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. She said the hours may change as the weather warms up.
The store offers retail and consignment items that range from $5 to $500, she said, emphasizing that “if someone only has five bucks, they can find something.”
“If they want something soft, we have our scarves and they’re $20,” Hinkley said. “There’s ornaments, Swarovski jewelry and affordable gifts if you have $40.”
J. Scott Park | MLive.com
The interior at Windy Hill Creations, 217 N. Jackson St. in downtown Jackson, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. The business has been in their new space for about a month.
Hinkley’s main focus for the last three decades has been flowers for weddings, she said. She offers a free, one-hour consultation by appointment only. You can visit the store, call 517-812-6851 or contact her via the store’s Facebook page.
“We do anywhere from 10 to 30 weddings a year,” she said. “I show them everything they need and don’t need and how much it costs.”
Hinkley also works as an internet sales manager for Seymour Ford Lincoln, 2601 Seymour Road in Blackman Township. Windy Hills Creations acts as a creative outlet for her.
“There’s not much creativity in a car,” she said. “You can ask questions about colors and options and things like that, but the creativity with cars happens before the assembly line.”
The now-closed Phoenix Tear used to operate in the same location. Before that, it was the Action Discount pawn shop. Hinkley saw the space was available in July, but would only approach the owners Greg and Tim Fox after flipping a coin three times.
“The Lord controls the roll of the dice,” she said. “So I flipped a coin, I called heads, and it landed on heads. Okay, best two out of three. It landed heads again, and then one more time. So from there I applied to rent the place.”
Hinkley said she understands the recent turnover at the location, but senses camaraderie in the downtown shopping district that gives her confidence. She said if someone shops at her store, she’s always pointing them to The Blessed Nest, and then she’ll see a customer that just came from Jackson Candle Company.
“We definitely look out for each other,” she said. “We’re always trying to work together and support each other.”
That collaboration continues on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Downtown Jackson Sip & Shop. From 5 to 8 p.m., stores will be serving wine and hors d’oeuvres and offering deals.
Hinkley will provide artisan bread to go with the wine. Her deal involves sassafras doormats that hold inserts for the four seasons. If you buy the doormat and two inserts, the third insert will be half off.
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