By Kate Knight

Assembly opened its doors downtown in Stevens Point on Friday, April 1. The clothing store, located at 933 Clark Street, has a grand opening slated for Thursday, April 14 from 4 – 7 p.m.

This is the second business endeavor for owner Quyen Hom, who also maintains a photography business. Originally from Minneapolis, Hom moved to Stevens Point to join her husband and said she had been thinking about starting a boutique for a while.

“I have some friends that own their own shops in different cities, and I’ve always been someone who loves the local shopping scene a lot – no matter where I am,” Hom said. “I love shopping small and shopping locally, and I thought I’d try to bring something here and see how it does.”

Assembly will include a variety of clothing, accessories, jewelry, and a small assortment of apothecary goods. Hom said she will stock what she calls, “great basics” and “transitional pieces,” which are items that can be dressed up or dressed down.

“I love to buy pieces that you can wear to work, or wear out for a night with the girls, a date night or dinner – pieces that don’t have to be strictly for a work wardrobe or a fun wardrobe,” Hom said. “You want to be able to wear things multiple times and to different places.”

“I’m drawn to really neutral colors – blacks, whites, greys – with little pops of color here and there,” she added. “Accessories are always a good thing to diversity outfits.”

Hom said most apparel items at Assembly cost between $25 and $175. The shop also sells lower-priced items including cards and bath soaps.

“I hope that people keep an open mind and check it out,” Hom said. “It’s for all people of all different ages – I want moms and daughters to shop together.”

Hom began leasing the building space, which was previously vacant, last month. The area was soon restored and Assembly came to life. “I tried to keep a lot of original features – tiling on the floors and the brick wall is original,” Hom said.

“I think Stevens Point has a great small community feeling, and I want to enhance the shopping experience for people who come in just to visit or for people who are trying to move to the area,” Hom said. “We have some great companies here that are trying to attract younger professionals, and this is a great way to help people see themselves in a town like this.”

“For me, it was a little hard to see how I could infuse my life here,” Hom added. “If I’m able to do it in this way, I’m more than happy to get involved.”

Assembly is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information on Assembly, find the shop on Facebook or visit www.assembly-shop.com.