Local boutique bright spot in the Old Mill District for five years.

When Larie Borden thought about opening a boutique a few years back, she found herself drawn to the Old Mill District—and the opportunity to sell locally crafted, handmade items in one of Bend’s best shopping corridors.

“People want to go home with something that will remind them of their trip to Bend—and they want to find something they can’t get at home,” she remembers thinking at the time. “We were going to be the go-to place for gifts and for local stuff.”

Borden’s boutique, Hello Sunshine, was born. The shop opened on Memorial Day in 2017 and just celebrated its fifth anniversary. Borden says she’s learned a lot along the way—and that, in many ways, the fun is just beginning.

When it opened five years ago, Hello Sunshine focused on women’s accessories, gifts, jewelry, handbags, home decor, and more (much of it made by local artists and designers). And while you’ll still find plenty of those items today, Borden noticed that shoppers appreciated an expanded selection of only-in-Bend items that reflected their unique experience in town.

“It’s more curated to what our visitors at the Old Mill District are looking for,” Borden says of her store’s growing selection, which also includes earring, hats, greeting cards, and stickers. “There’s something that every person can afford,” Borden says. “You can come in here and spend as little as $3, or you can spend $300. I always want people to feel like if they find something they like, and they can afford it.”

Borden says that curated selection also helps develop long-lasting relationships—the hallmark of any successful business. “When visitors realize they can come in and find that special gift for someone, they come back because they know they can always find a gift here.”

Hello Sunshine is located across from Banana Republic open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.