Shirley Dawgs boutique expands to Starkville
Popular Corinth-based clothing store Shirley Dawgs recently opened its Starkville location at 100 Russell St. The fashion-centric retailer offers a range of women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories—differing from its men’s apparel store in Corinth.
Co-owners Julie and Brian Shirley wanted to expand to Starkville to tap into the city’s growing retail base, led by growing numbers of college students. Last year, the Corinth location opened a 6,000 square foot space, backed by popular demand.
The pair hope to see continued retail success in Starkville, and look to expand in the future—if business is good. The name Shirley Dawgs comes from Brian’s high school nickname, and not the well-known Mississippi State mascot—but the name fits perfectly in Starkville, he said.
“We tried to stand out and be a little different, something that people would remember,” Brian Shirley said. “It fits right in here in Starkville. It’s going really well. Of course with any new business, you have some growing pains and you have to ease into things.”
The Corinth location has grown in its five years, and the move to Starkville went along with Brian and Julie’s daughter starting school at MSU.
“It just made sense to switch gears and open a ladies’ store,” Brian Shirley said. “The location is great. We’ve been pleased with the location. It’s been a blessing so far.”
The cozy Starkville location offers a variety of brands, some including Lauren James, PJ’s, Kaanas and Steven Bags.
“We’re trying some new brands out, it’s about figuring out what people want,” Brian Shirley said. “You can get a whole outfit. That’s the goal of the store. It can be for game day, a night out or just for casual wear.”
The boutique will post all of its specials online. Follow the retailer on Facebook as “Shirley Dawg’s Starkville” and @shirleydawgsstarkville on Instagram.
“We are going to be putting our specials on our social media pages,” Brian Shirley said. “Sometimes I will just want to do something, there’s no set time or range that there will be specials. Follow us online, that’s how the word of the specials gets out.”
The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and hours will vary on Saturday.