“I found out the store was for sale on a Wednesday, and by Friday, it was mine,” Mehigh said.

The Haslett resident had been making and selling jewelry for years and shopped regularly at the store, 2015 E. Michigan Ave., which opened more than five years ago. Mehigh said the former owner was selling the store because her family was moving for her husband’s job.

In early February, the store was decorated for Valentine’s Day, with red-and-white heart-shaped doilies hanging in the front windows, a metallic heart wreath on the door, and a table area sectioned off for Valentine’s-themed beads.

Tables forming an island in the middle of the store hold black, square compartments for loose beads organized by color.

Mehigh said her personal business grew by word of mouth as she sold her jewelry at arts and crafts shows and home parties, and she also took custom orders from customers, an aspect of her work that she brought to Bead Boutique.

“I’ve had quite a few people that I’ve helped make their jewelry or helped them design it,” she said.

On Feb. 8, Lansing resident Melissa Parks met with Mehigh at the shop to make necklaces, bracelets and earrings for the bridesmaids in Parks’ May 10 wedding.

Parks, a 2006 MSU graduate, said she heard about the shop through a friend who Mehigh helped to make jewelry.

The two women met in January to plan the pieces based on the bridesmaids’ peridot dresses and chose jade beads with clear Swarovski crystals.

“(Mehigh) helped figure out what the design would be,” Parks said.

“I’ve never known anyone who’s gotten married with that color and thought green and white for (MSU).”

Parks and Mehigh sat in the back end of the store, which is used for beading classes during the week and private parties of up to eight people.

“We’ve got plenty of classroom space,” Mehigh said. “(Customers are) welcome to work all day — whatever they want to do in here.”

She said some of the store’s most popular items are Swarovski crystals, sterling silver pieces and glass beads.

For customers who come in not knowing what they want to make, there’s a big book of ideas that contains photos of jewelry made at the store.

“Anything someone sees in the store they like, we’ll photocopy it for them and give them a copy of it,” Mehigh said.

Since taking ownership of the store, Mehigh said she hasn’t changed much other than expanding the inventory.

“I figure, if things weren’t broken, don’t fix them,” she said. “I kept pretty much the same philosophies (as the previous owner).”