Lolo Pogi Boutique
Author: Angie Janacaro
Walk into the Lolo Pogi Boutique, at 406 Broadway and you know you are someplace special. It is a destination a shopper can luxuriate in and find the perfect something to wear or gift. Lolo Pogi is a business you always wished was in Townsend and now it is.
Owned and operated by MJ and Steve Seiler, Lolo Pogi, is named after MJ’s father who passed away in 2019. In MJ’s Filipino heritage, the term, Lolo Pogi, means handsome grandpa; a well-deserved endearment for a man with ten children, over 30 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Both MJ and Steve held cor¬porate jobs in the pharmaceutical industry. Living in the greater Portland-metro area, the two¬some shared the dream of one day returning to live in Steve’s home state of Montana. Steve grew up in the Madison Valley. It seemed, however, that their jobs always found a way of delaying the dream, until one day they decided to leave the corporate grind behind. Stated simply, MJ said of the corporate world, “We were tired of it.”
MJ never had any experience owning a small business, but as she and Steve and their two dogs, Gunner and Montana, drove around Oregon to explore small towns she loved the idea of having a clothing boutique with unique items and personalized service. When asked about where she developed her sense of style she states, “I grew up with four sisters and my mom. My mom is a fashionista.” MJ delights in owning her business, “You know, being your own boss is awesome. Steve and I didn’t even know how creative we were until we started decorating and renovating the building.”.
Lolo Pogi officially opened its doors in October 2020 but has operated as an online pres¬ence since March of the same year. The online store can be found at https://www.shoplolopogi. com and features some area modeling talent. The store is open Monday–Friday 10–6 and Saturday 10–4. The fashion items available are carefully selected by MJ to be trendy and classic, “I call the ideal customer an avatar and for the most part, the avatar is the 45–65-year-old woman. I also choose clothes that are flexible and can be worn by all age groups, but for the most part, I sell things that are classic and won’t go out of style next year.”
When asked about the most enjoyable aspect of owning a business in Townsend she cites the people and the small-town friendliness and humility. She hopes to see new businesses in town start up and entice customers to stay in Townsend for shop¬ping, dining and entertainment. One thing is for certain, Lolo Pogi is a positive step in that direction.
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PhotoCredit: Angie Janacaro
Image 1 Caption: MJ Seiler, co-owner of Lolo Pogi
