Meridian Boutique

Wandering Main Street in Downtown Bozeman, you may notice the grand front windows and eye-catching sign at the intersection of Main Street and Black Avenue labeled “Meridian.”  Once inside, you’ll be greeted immediately by a friendly face and a chic interior that feels more Parisian than Montanan.  It’s intentional and luxurious, and every rack is full of elegant clothing and accessories, each hand-selected by owner Haley Connolly and her team to make the customer feel their absolute best.

Meridian was founded in 1993 by Andrea “Andi” Bennett, who created the flagship store in Bozeman, and continued to grow the brand for over 25 years, opening stores in Billings, MT; Excelsior, MN; Missoula, MT; and Fort Collins, CO. Andi and Haley met in their youth, as their families go back generations. Being slightly older, Andi became a mentor and someone Haley could look up to during her formidable college years. When Andi asked Haley (at her wedding!) if she'd be interested in partnering with her to run Meridian, she was thrilled and jumped at the unique opportunity. “We shared a love for fashion, travel, entrepreneurship, and of course-our Montana roots. To this day, Andi choosing me to carry on her legacy is one of the greatest honors I have ever received” boasted Haley. Tragically, as they began their partnership, Andi suddenly passed away.  Despite their sadness, Andi’s family was there to help guide Haley through the daunting transition of being a solo business owner.

Shortly thereafter, the COVID lockdown forced Meridian to close their doors for several months. It was at this point that Haley’s husband, Josh Bowden stepped away from his own start-up and came to work with Haley behind the scenes at Meridian during the business hiatus. Together, the duo cultivated a fresh aesthetic for the store, allowing only a few weeks for the renovations to take place. Completed in early 2021, Haley saw this moment as her opportunity to take what Andi had created so many years ago, and make it her own. Drawing inspiration from the outdoors and Bozeman’s exquisite natural environment, the clothing and accessories that they stock, and Andi’s original vision-Meridian’s new look began to form.

Haley wanted to modernize the boutique while still holding onto some of the original European elements. She kept softness in the space with curves and arches to help offset the linear architecture, while adding in pops of color here and there, and featuring a few more modern elements. When it came time to choose a wall finish, she reached out to Jeremy Mistretta, and worked with the team at New Age Artisans to select a custom plaster color and finish, adding even more interest and depth to the reimagined boutique. Haley described the process of the rebrand as emotional without Andi’s approval, but she felt that she’d ultimately struck the right balance of honoring what Andi had built, and putting her own stamp on the brand as she carried Meridian forward. Only a day before their reopening, Haley and Josh learned that they had been featured by Vogue as one of 23 small businesses to shop in the West. In the ensuing months, the store saw its biggest year of sales in history. Meridian’s star was continuing to rise under Haley’s leadership. 

After joining forces, Haley and Josh started working on new ways to grow the brand, eventually opening “Meridian Men”  in 2023. They once again chose plaster for the walls, this time selecting a rich, deep blue in our Heritage Blend, for a more rugged finish. Haley described these as their “blue jean walls,” and says they’ve become a recognizable signature of the store. The men's store has now become a staple along Bozeman’s Main Street, just down the block from the original Meridian boutique.

In early 2025, Haley found herself faced with reevaluating the original space yet again after a flood left the boutique in disrepair, essentially forcing them to rebuild. She enlisted the help of designer and friend Cari Siemens, who assisted with the 2021 rebrand. Together, Haley and Cari united to make the most of an unfortunate circumstance. Moving quickly against deadlines, the team brought a new vision of Meridian to life. With this rebrand, Haley continued  to pay homage to the history of the building and original architecture, while integrating in more playful and bolder elements like wallpaper and sconces. Once it came time for plaster, Haley and Cari visited the New Age Artisans showroom and selected a handful of custom colors, along with a few Signature Collection choices, and brought them all into the space to decide what would work the best. Haley noted that being able to have such a wide variety of colors to choose from, and being able to see samples in the space left her feeling confident that they made the right choice for this latest version of Meridian.

“Plaster gives a space that old-world feeling and mood. It complements the history of our space dating back to the late 1800s. We wanted something textural and full of movement — soft but with a little drama. To me, plaster can do that. It becomes a main character in the story you’re trying to tell, not just visually but texturally. In this latest project, the flooring served as our anchor, but the plaster is the star. We wanted the walls to feel like suede, in a color I describe as 'Häagen-Dazs Coffee Ice Cream'” laughed Haley.

“It's not a color out of a box that fits all. There’s a lot of tweaking and fine-tuning to get the proper depth and variation, especially in a commercial space showcasing product. It's light and bright at the front of the store, and dark and moody towards the back. Ensuring the movement is continuous throughout the whole space was key to the project's success.  Working with New Age Artisans is a unique and personalized experience. Jeremy is always thoughtful about our spaces, protecting the corners and areas that receive high foot traffic and touch points” remarked Haley.

One of the most unique and eye-catching details in the store are the custom-built curved shelves that house merchandise in a rear corner of the store. Due to their wear and tear, Jeremy chose to use the New Age Artisans Tadelakt BLEND. Tadelakt is the most durable of our finishes, and will age beautifully with time and use. The remainder of the walls are cloaked in our Refined Blend, artfully achieving the suede look that Haley sought.

The end result of Haley and Cari’s efforts is nothing short of breathtaking, and it’s clear that despite the time-crunch, they were thoughtful and intentional in curating each and every detail that made its way into the new space. From the stunning curved mirror behind the cash wrap, to the custom metal clothing racks flowing seamlessly around the perimeter of the store, and the tapestry-like wall covering in the fitting rooms, every piece fits together beautifully to create a feeling that perfectly balances luxury and coziness. Once again, only a week before their reopening, Haley received exciting news – Meridian had been nominated for The New York Times “Best Stores in America” – so stay tuned!

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Haley would also like to give a special shout out to Mike, Ed, Johnny Ringo, and the rest of the Langlas family for keeping the project running smoothly; Robert Nelson of Park County Bench for his incredible custom metalwork; designer and “coolest mom recipient” Cari Siemens; Edison Electric; Bud Martin for his work on the mirrors and carpentry; Ben Borzorth and the crew at Onyx Tile Studio; Cutting Edge Paint & Paper for their installation of paper, cork fabric, and House of Hackney wallpaper; and last but certainly not least – Monteriors.