Haymarket boutique 3 Daughters goes through an ownership change

It was two years ago that her husband, Mitch, 67 at the time and far more pragmatic than dramatic, figured that the couple had 13 years — 13 summers — to accomplish every goal they hadn't achieved in their first 30 years of marriage.

Thirteen summers turned to 12. Then 11. And with her lease soon to expire, she couldn't imagine signing on for five more years.

"I knew if I signed a five-year lease, our summers would be down to six and I didn't want to do that because I would have never left here," she said. "I love this place so much."

So she began the process of finding someone who would love the Haymarket boutique as much as she does.

It was slow and arduous, but eventually, Mary Weixelman and Jen Witherby came across her radar.

The former Lincoln Journal Star advertising account representatives did their homework on 3 Daughters, they went to a market event with Johnson in Nashville, Tennessee, in April and they pondered the next chapters in their lives.

"It's something that I've always been interested in," said Witherby, who started her college career as a fashion design major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Fashion is just something that I've always really enjoyed doing."

She and Weixelman officially purchased 3 Daughters, 311 N. Eighth St., on July 28 and began their first official week of ownership a few days later.

For the record, the boutique's name — an homage to Johnson's three daughters — will remain despite the fact that Weixelman has two daughters and a son and Witherby has four sons.

More pressing is the challenge of taking over an existing store — one with a proven track record and loyal following — while finding ways to make it their own.

"We have a lot of new inventory already," said Weixelman, who said the transition comes at a time when Lincoln is gearing up for Volleyball Day in Nebraska on Aug. 30 and the start of the Huskers football season a day later.

And you notice that right away upon entry with two carousels of Husker gear in the front of the store — a departure from when Johnson, who is helping with the transition, ran 3 Daughters.

The Haymarket creates an interesting challenge for retailers. With the exception of a small but loyal band of local customers, much of the clientele comes from out of town, Weixelman said.

In its first weekend of operation, much of the foot traffic came from people who were in town for a local basketball tournament.

"It's a lot of people that we're talking to that are not from Lincoln," Weixelman said, remembering a couple from Kearney who was in the shop and who spend weekends at their second home, a downtown Lincoln condo. "It's almost like a tourist place."

Building an online presence with some marketing, something with which both Witherby and Weixelman have experience, will help expand the brand that Johnson built.

In addition, Witherby can see a scenario where she picks out an outfit for a client, delivers it and allows the customer to determine if it's to their liking.

"It's a more personal way of shopping," Witherby said. "I don't know any other boutiques that do that. I'm sure it is being done somewhere. It's just an idea that we had."

Once the transition is complete, Johnson plans to hit the road — with Mitch, of course. With three daughters in three states — Nebraska, Missouri and New York — there are road trips already in the works.

In addition, there are also trips to San Diego and Naples, Florida, and Lake Monroe — "I don't even know where that is," she said — as well as a weekend in Bozeman, Montana, to see her great niece play volleyball.

Aside from that, she plans to find some busy work in Lincoln because, "I'm wired to be productive so I'll find myself a little side hustle."