RYAN SCALLATE AND LINDSEY SAXON
Sisters Rooted in Faith, Family, and Fashion
story by MICAH PEPPERS photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
Raised in Beaufort, sisters Ryan Scallate and Lindsey Saxon have grown up in the Lowcountry lifestyle their whole lives. Both were graduates of Beaufort High School and afterward enrolled in nursing school. Ryan became a nurse in 2014 and continued in that career until 2021, when her son was born. Lindsey followed a similar path and became a registered nurse in 2018 and continues to work in health care today. However, their paths were meant to join and start something together.
As natives to the area, Ryan and Lindsey were no strangers to the local small businesses and were friends with many of the owners. One afternoon, Ryan was shopping in Blue Heron, a store owned by a childhood friend, Sara Crawford Quinones. Sara had mentioned to Ryan that she was thinking of selling her other boutique, Rooted. Owning both stores had been a bit too much, and both had different vibes, so she wanted to put her attention into one storefront; Ryan was instantly intrigued. “I had always dreamed of owning a clothing boutique, so I was excited about the possible opportunity. I talked to my husband, and we decided to set up a meeting with Sara,” Ryan explains. “I then thought that Lindsey would be great to co-own the store with, so I asked her about joining me. She quickly told me no,” Ryan laughs. “I decided I still wanted to move forward with this dream, so I would just do it on my own. After a little bit of time, Lindsey actually came back to me and asked if I was still interested in having her join. I jumped on it because of course I wanted my sister to help. She’s very creative, so I kind of forced her to come on board, but she did, and it’s been wonderful.”
Rooted was officially purchased in 2024, but it wasn’t an instantly smooth process. “We had to move locations … twice,” Lindsay says. We ended up having to move due to renovations of the building, and it was good. We were closer to downtown, so we had some more foot traffic, which helped. In June, we moved again, but this time, we got a spot on Bay Street, which has been amazing. It’s a great location with lots of visitors. It’s everything we hoped for.”
Although a boutique filled with a variety of items is evident when you step into Rooted, there’s more to the shop than what initially meets the eye. There’s a purpose and a mission behind the meaning that both Ryan and Lindsey stand for and believe. The shop’s slogan is essential to the name itself: Rooted in Christ, Rooted in family, Rooted in community. Faith is important to both women. Ryan states, “We think these things are the most important aspects of our lives. We want to have an opportunity to spread the gospel. We want to be a light for others and serve Him.” The women want to set an example for not only their community, but especially women. “We have another sister,” Lindsey adds. “We are a tight-knit family, and we want to give back. We especially love helping women. We want them to look good, feel good, and feel safe. We want them to leave comfortable and confident.”
When a visitor walks in, they can expect to see an array of items. Besides clothing that ranges from extra small to plus-sized, Rooted offers shoes, jewelry, purses, candles, books, and even local art created by Beaufort women artists. Running their store isn’t always easy. Ryan and Lindsey are both raising small children, while Lindsey continues her job as a nurse. They are also trying to work on their online presence, but fortunately for them, they have an amazing staff to support their vision. “We have five girls that work for us, and they are all top-notch,” Ryan explains. “They are reliable, trustworthy, and Rooted literally wouldn’t run without them. Our manager, Andy, is fantastic. We love her sass, and she is actually the one who keeps Lindsey and me in line. She will send me lists of what I need and handles the day-to-day operations. We will often have older ladies enter the shop, and their initial reaction is that our clothes feel too young for them. Andy will step in and style them. She creates the absolute best outfits, and they leave so happy and confident.”
The sisters are excited to continue this journey and to see where this endeavor takes them. “I love working with my sister,” Ryan states. “We are together all the time. Our kids practically think they are siblings,” she laughs. Lindsey adds, “We make sure to talk things out. We are open with each other, and if we get in a spat, we are over it five seconds later.” Ryan adds, “She’s tried to quit on me so many times, but I won’t let her. This is just the beginning.”
Visitors can stop by Rooted located at 917 Bay Street, Monday-Saturday from 10:00-6:00 p.m.
