When Jeremy DeFlorian and his wife Rita moved from Galesville, Wis., to the southeast Minnesota area due to his job with Mad City Windows and Bath, Jeremy knew he wanted to open a business here. Back in Galesville, Jeremy had owned a small boutique called Serenity River Creations & Boutique with his sister Tammi DeFlorian and a friend. Rita and Jeremy began looking for a location in Fillmore County to open a similar business. Several locations were considered, but then the former JuliaClaire’s building, which was sitting empty in Preston, caught their eye. Rita, Jeremy, Tammi, and Tammi’s daughter Brittany all looked at it and agreed that it would be a good spot for a new boutique, which they named SmallTown Square.
The four of them got right to work to make SmallTown Square a reality. Jeremy and Tammi are the owners, but appreciate the help they get from Rita and Brittany. They considered doing consignment, but decided instead to rent out space to vendors to avoid having to go through dropped-off items to select what to sell, explaining that people tend to be choosier about what they bring in when they are renting a spot. “We want to have nice things and quality stuff,” Rita said. In addition to vendor spaces, donations are accepted as are out-right buys, but Jeremy and Tammi are careful about what they accept to keep the overall feel of the boutique consistent.
With a plan in place, they put out a request on Facebook for vendors to help fill the space. It didn’t take long before they had enough vendors to open the store. At first, each vendor was given a specific area they could fill, but as the system was refined, the items have been blended so the shopping experience is more cohesive for their customers. Tammi explained that, at first, they were willing to take anybody interested, but now that the space has filled up, they are more selective of the vendors they approve. “We’re leaning more towards trying to get upper end clothing and name brands,” Rita said. “We’ve got a variety of items. We have clothes from newborn to adult.”
The official opening for SmallTown Square was November 22, 2025. The DeFlorians stay busy there along with their other jobs. Jeremy still works with Mad City, and Tammi and Brittany both work in healthcare besides their duties at the store. Although young, Tammi’s grandson and Brittany’s three children are part of the business as well and often spend time there. Although Jeremy and Tammi own SmallTown Square, they all split the work, putting in as many hours as necessary to keep it going. Each of them is in charge of a different area of the business to keep things running smoothly. Jeremy especially is working on the boutique whether he’s at home or at the store whenever he’s not at Mad City. “It’s not only been a lot of work for Jeremy and Tammi, it’s been a lot of work from our vendors as well,” Rita explained.
In addition to the six vendors currently renting space at SmallTown Square, the DeFlorians also work together to supply merchandise for the store. Brittany especially works on that behind the scenes, tracking down items, finding wholesalers, price matching, and more. They have started carrying upper end make-up as well as other higher end items. “It’s nice for people to be able to get things like that locally,” Tammi said. “Now people don’t always have to drive to Rochester to get what they’re looking for.”
Since SmallTown Square opened in November, they’ve been happy with the response they’ve received. “Everybody in the community is very nice,” Tammi said. “We’ve met a lot of interesting and cool people.” The location of the building was a big draw for the family as well, being in the middle of town next to the courthouse square.
On April 3, the Preston Area Chamber of Commerce officially welcomed SmallTown Square to Preston with a ribbon cutting ceremony. A grand opening celebration is being planned for April 25 with specials throughout the store, door prizes, etc. More information on SmallTown Square can be found on their Facebook page. The store is open from 10a.m. -5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 12-7 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturdays and is located at 152 Main Street in Preston.
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