BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. (WIS) – A 95-year-old Midlands woman is still running her own boutique and doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon.
Mae Buzhardt is the woman behind the counter and has been running Mae’s of Batesburg-Leesville for over 60 years.
Now, Buzhardt can wear whatever she wants, but she remembers a time when a new dress was only a dream.
“My father told me, we can’t afford anything expensive, we have to wait until we can buy the best because we don’t have much money,” said Buzhardt.
Buzhardt was born in 1930 during the Great Depression. It was an experience that she said shaped the way she views her clothing store and her customers.
“Being a little girl, I wanted all the little pretty dresses with all the little frills,” eh said. “He [her father] said, ‘We can’t afford this; we will have to wait to buy a really nice dress.’ And that’s what he did and taught me. It’s been wonderful that that has stayed with me in every purchase.”
The store had a previous owner named Lonna Etheridge, who opened the shop in 1916. Buzhardt became a frequent customer of the store. So Etheridge decided to close up shop and sell, Buzhardt was the first on the list.
Buzhardt later agreed to buy the business and was soon holding its keys. She and Etheridge are still the only two owners of the store after nearly 110 years.
“It’s just wonderful to think that I’ve been able to work at this age, I’m so grateful for that, that every morning I can get up and know I have a fun thing coming, because I’m going to turn that key on that door and it’s going to be a great day,” said Buzhardt.
Buzhardt opens her business the same way, at the same time, every single day.
She’s always ready to work, picking out stylish clothing and setting them out on display for her customers to purchase.
The building still has its 1900s charm, including the more than 100-year-old cash register that Mae uses every day and says people often inquire about purchasing.
Buzhardt says she feels there’s no reason to stop running her shop, not when the community rallies and helps when they can.
“The people are just very generous and very kind and just have wonderful reception from them coming in. They are always asking if I ever need anything, let me know from so many of people ask me that. You would just not believe how much they do for me every day,” said Buzhardt.
Buzhardt told WIS that when she opened up her shop, there were roughly eight other dress shops on the same road.
That’s not the case today. She’s the only one still standing from that time. North Oak Street now has a jewelry shop, restaurants and men’s clothing stores. It’s all development that Buzhardt says is good for the town of Batesburg-Leesville.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “We are just so excited because we have had several closed doors that have opened and more that are planning to open that are making preparations and remodeling now.”
Age is just a number for this fashionista, but as Buzhardt said fashion is forever.
“I never want to retire, I didn’t want to retire when I was 65 and I certainly don’t want to retire at 95. I’m afraid I would have a hard time finding a job,” she said.”
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