When Donna Parks designs something for her Wild Rose Boutique it must pass one important test before it ends up on a shelf or rack or display.

“I have to love it,” she said. “If I love it I have faith someone else will love it, too.”

Standing in the middle of her charming, unique and vibrant boutique in the heart of downtown Plymouth surrounded by many of those creations she loves, Parks smiles with pride as she talks about her “little shop of magic.”

“Our store is fun, different, creative, one of a kind, and also a mystery because you never know what we will find in our travels,” she said. “I’m a full-time artist and love sharing my passion for creating art that people love.”

Parks says when she first opened the boutique she wanted it to be a unique experience where people would have fun shopping and see things they have never seen before. Her motto is “be your own kind of beautiful."

“When you're an artist and you're selling your stuff, it's very rewarding to see people get excited about it the same way I did creating it,” she said. “It brings me great joy when people say how they love the colors I put together or how beautiful something is that I created.”

Parks, who grew up in Livonia and has lived in the Plymouth area for over 20 years, has been involved in art shows all over Michigan for most of her life. She has been a popular vendor in the Plymouth Art in the Park show for over 25 years, and will again have a beautiful display in front of Wild Rose Boutique this year.

Parks opened Wild Rose Boutique in Plymouth in November 2019 and moved to the current location at 535 Forest Street in 2024. The store features its own line of handmade and unique clothing designs made from beautiful and vintage fabrics as well as original art pieces, including Mosaic art.

“We feature and support over 60 artists who make one-of-a-kind beautiful pieces,” Parks said. “We have bohemian style, trendy, gypsy and even Western styles. A lot of people say our clothes remind them of Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac. And I believe I’m the first boutique to bring western wear to downtown Plymouth. I am a cowgirl at heart and grew up with horses so we have cowboy hats, western-style items and even turquoise jewelry.”

The store also features a large selection of baby clothes that are unique and handmade.

Parks simply enjoys helping her customers find their own kind of beautiful.

“I love what I do and I feel so blessed to have my little shop in downtown Plymouth,” she said. “When I was a young lady I would walk these streets and shop at the cute boutiques. I have so many wonderful memories doing that and now I get to create those memories for others. Plymouth is a great place and the people are so friendly. It’s so wonderful to be a part of it. I like to think I’ve created a little shop of magic.”