Car Hits Upshift Boutique

Our boutique located at 836 East Johnson Street here in Madison, Wisconsin was hit by a car at about 5pm on Tuesday, April 12th.  The car went through our front windows and then through the side brick wall.  Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.  Our staff and co-owner, Dustin Lundt was near the back of the store and the one customer that was shopping was near our front counter and out of harms way. The driver was not seriously hurt, but was under the influence and taken away by authorities. More information can be found on the WKOW news website regarding the identification of the driver.

Now that it's the following day and we can take a step back to really reflect on the impact this had on the store and will have on our immediate future, all I can say as the owner is we are so lucky that everyone is safe.  Sure, we lost a couple of mannequins and the store will be closed for a few days, but it could've been so much worse considering how badly the store has been damaged.  Not to mention we are a very heavy pedestrian street so the fact that no one was in harms way is truly miraculous.

We are blessed to have amazing resources in Madison, the first responders arrived quickly and ensured that everyone was safe and that the immediate area was secure.  Our landlord is a wonderful man and owns many properties in Madison and is always quick to respond to any issues.  He had the area cleaned up and secure by boarding up the walls until he can start construction immediately.

He and his team are rebuilding starting today, Wednesday, April 13th.  We will keep everyone posted on our reopening date, which should be very soon.  Our team at Upshift will have our own work to do such as cleaning the garments and the space inside, but we will do it quickly so we can reopen and celebrate in Upshift style; food, booze, wine, and good cheer (and walking or cabbing it home afterwards).  That's when we'll really need the support of staff, friends, family, and of course our customers.  We will need to recover lost sales and can continue to do so through our online store at www.upshiftswapshop.com. You can help by spreading the word of our online store.

Thank you to all the people on the Madison Fire Department, Madison Police Department, and Madison Gas and Electric that responded to the emergency to ensure everyone at Upshift and in our Johnson Street neighborhood were safe.

Thank you to staff, especially my husband that was working at the time, as well as customers and other patrons for staying calm and even handling this with a sense of humor after the dust had settled. Thank you to my dear friend Ashley and her husband for being there for us, they both released statements on Blackwater Studios' social media and Madison Story Slam's facebook page to encourage ongoing support during and after the accident.  We are so thankful for all the phone calls, texts, and messages of support from all our near and dear.

Stay tuned for updates on our progress, until then stay safe, make good choices, and go forth and be fabulous.