A Lenoir City alumni, Jamie Howard started a clothing boutique on Kingston Street, Lenoir City several years ago. 

“I was actually working for a smaller business that was like this and I was going to college working are going to college and I was studying business management but I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do and I was laying in bed when I am felt like God talk to me cause my closet doors were open and he was like this is what you love to do you love fashion you love clothing and so that happened and then I decided to start a business I was really is like skeptical of it and nervous but I just took a leap of faith and it was like just do it,” Howard said. 

The best thing about starting her own business is blessing people. 

“Learning how to manage was one thing, but the best thing for me personally as a meeting new people and being able to bless others it’s one of my favorite things to do,” said Howard.

Starting in 2020, Howard started a free prom dress event for students who are looking for prom dresses.

“If any girls like to come in and pick out a dress it is free of charge. I started in 2020 and I was sitting here at my desk and I was like something fun that I could do for students and for like school in the community and I was I prom is coming up so why don’t we think about having a prom dress drive and then I made the first post about in January and it just like floodgates. I had hundreds of dresses here so many girls came in our dresses and there were other businesses that had donated like to get their pictures done and get their hair and makeup done free jewelry and so it kind of all grew from there it was insane honestly like a good insane. It was just crazy how the community just grows whenever there’s something that’s going on,” Howard said. 

If you need help finding a prom dress or want to check out the other great things in the story drop by Rush’s at 508 Kingston Street. The hours are: Monday-Friday from 12:00-6:00 and Saturday from 10:00-2:00.