The summer of Lauren Martin’s senior year at Ole Miss, she was honored to work for the White House. Although she intended to use her broadcast journalism degree for radio or TV, she set out to serve our country following 9/11. Martin returned to D.C. to intern with the Advance office, finishing at the Department of Commerce in International Trade.
Martin accomplished a lot by 28. Still, she envisioned curating pieces from around the world at a boutique that she could call her own.
“There was a beautiful women’s clothing store in Oxford called Duvall's, which also happens to be my middle name. I had always dreamed of owning a store just like that,” says Martin. “In Washington, I sat down with an executive from Lilly Pulitzer who helped me really hone in on what I wanted to do and achieve. However, life happened and I moved to Texas.”
Martin took on the role of stay-at-home mom of five in the following years. Come 2022, she finally saw her dream through for DuValls Children’s Boutique, and her kids have been her biggest cheerleaders. She has felt blessed beyond measure by the families that walk through her door, having even cried in joy for a woman who spent months hopefully browsing before announcing her pregnancy.
“DuValls was only possible through unrelenting prayer for years,” says Martin. “God’s timing is always the best, even when waiting is hard.”
See Martin’s hand-picked collections at DuValls at duvallsboutique.com or 109 US-183, Leander.
