Charmed – Polk County’s Gem

BY JACLYN ROSE

After 16 years working in the field of manufacturing, Lisa Doughty was ready for a change of pace so, along with her husband, Dalton, she opened Charmed in June of 2008. “We, like most of the people around here, would go to Fort Smith or Hot Springs and go shopping and so often we would go into a store and then talk about how Mena doesn’t have anything like this, but really needs it.  We talked about it for several years and finally just decided, why not do it,” explained Doughty.

With no previous retail experience, the Doughty’s opened Charmed without any idea what to expect, but have thrived in the almost seven years they have been in business.  Located in the Northside Shopping Center on Highway 71 North, Charmed focuses mainly on women’s gifts, apparel, shoes and jewelry.  “We don’t try to follow certain brands but we try to stay current with trends and we carry everything from babies to seniors, including girls and tweens,” said Doughty.  “We have a selection of graphic t-shirts that have remained a constant good seller, handbags, a Razorback section, luggage, and we have expanded our plus size clothing section.  We also recently started carrying floating charm lockets that we are very excited about.”

Doughty is a military kid and grew up moving around a lot with her family.  In 1977, they settled in Mena and she graduated from Mena High School in 1981.  After leaving Mena for a few years, Doughty moved back when her oldest son was in the first grade.  “Mena is such a hometown and gives that peace of mind that is invaluable.  It’s a wonderful place to raise a family,” said Doughty.  In 2000, Doughty married Dalton and together they have four children, Robby, Nicole, Morgan and Ryan, and two grandchildren, Hudson and Meredith.  “I love being a mom, it gives you so much joy and happiness but it’s so easy to put so much stress on yourself when your children are little, trying to make sure you raise them right.  I’ve found that once they are older you are able to become friends with them and I really enjoy that so much.  My grandkids are my world; it’s true that life changes when you have them.  Being a mom and a grandma means everything to me,” Doughty said.

Dalton works full time as a manager at Smith Pallet and Rich Mountain Lumber in Hatfield but still manages to play a vital role at Charmed.  “I’m so thankful for Dalton.  He is as active in the business as I am, he is my sounding board and he keeps me grounded.  He is the man behind the scenes and is a great maintenance man,” said Doughty with a smile.

“I want to thank all of our customers and the community and our friends and family for supporting us and helping us to be successful over the past seven years.  We couldn’t do any of it without them.  If you haven’t been in the store in a while, now is a good time.  We are constantly changing and rearranging and adding new items.  We love the community of Polk County.  The people here are so wonderful and come together for whatever is needed and give back.  We have gotten to know so many people and I love all my customers.  We always try to take the time to say hi and make them feel welcome,” said Doughty.

Charmed is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am until 6 pm and can be found on their Facebook page.  Watch for their new website which will launch in 2015.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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