Clothing store gets froggy

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Selma welcomes The Lily Pad

By Tracie Troha/Times-Journal Writer

A familiar downtown store opened this week with a new name and new owner, but will continue to offer the same children’s clothing and accessories often associated with this Broad Street building.

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On Tuesday, city and county officials, along with a number of family and friends, came out to the official unveiling of Sherie Leigh and David Ousley’s new business.

The Lily Pad, formerly known as Bows and Barefeet, may have a new appearance, but still has the same quaint homey feel as its predecessor.

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Sherie Ousley. “My family has been so supportive and helped me in getting this store ready.”

Ousley said she is a first-time business owner, but has experience working the retail field.

“The seed was planted for me when I first worked with my cousin’s store, the old Calico Cottage,” Ousley said. “I always thought I would love to open my own business, and the opportunity finally came along.”

Walking into the Lily Pad is like entering a child’s extra large closet, complete with a play area for children while their parents shop.

The light green color found throughout the store, and the business’s name, was actually inspired by a little frog Ousley and a friend spotted at a gas station in Montgomery.

“I had originally planned to call the store the Lemon Tree, but we couldn’t find the right color of yellow,” Ousley said. “I found this green color wrapping paper I liked and decided to go with that. Then, as a friend and I stopped at this gas station in Montgomery, we saw a little frog sitting on a trashcan. It almost looked fake and we thought it should be on a lily pad somewhere. As we were driving back to Selma, I thought ‘I know what the name of the store is going to be’.”

Ousley said it has been a lot of work getting the store ready for the big opening, and even her 17-month-old daughter, Mary Alan, got in on all the excitement.

“She (Mary Alan) is used to having the run of the place,” Ousley said.

The Ousley’s are excited about this new venture into owning their own businesses, and are hoping they will find success in Selma.

The Lily Pad is located on Broad Street in the heart of the downtown shopping district.