Welcome To Orange City: ARIA Clothing Co

Last month, Bekah Vander Stelt opened ARIA Clothing Co. in downtown Orange City! This boutique offers a wide variety of styles, sizes, and trends for women, men, and babies. It carries items for both everyday wear and events.

The name is a nod to both of Bekah’s hometowns; she lived in Arkansas for 23 years before moving to Iowa. Bekah shared, “I have truly grown to love the quaint, welcoming atmosphere Orange City offers. It is the perfect place to raise a family. My dream is to help OC thrive. I am doing my part by owning a store downtown…it’s a dream come true!”

We asked Bekah to share more about her life in Orange City! Check out her response below.

  • How would you describe your lifestyle in Orange City (work, school, activities)?
    • Places we are at OFTEN- Los Tulipanes! Basically, every weekend, you can find us here! I am a sucker for chips and queso! Brads & Kweken love them equally. Iced coffee year-round, yes, please. Brad’s Brunch is a MUST! We attend church at Trinity Reformed Church, where I am heavily involved. I am on the women’s ministry team, often lead worship on the praise team, help out in the nursery, and have a small group we are a part of. My 2 daughters go to the public OC daycare. We love going for walks on the puddle jumper, hitting up all the parks, and going to almost any event that’s put on by the city!
  • What has surprised you the most about opening a business in Orange City?
    • Not that I doubted that the city would support it, but we have REALLY FELT so much support. Way more than we had even imagined. Surrounding local businesses pop by as well, and that is so much fun. I love businesses supporting each other!
  • What do you most enjoy about the community? What makes OC a unique place to own a business?
    • I enjoy the close-knit atmosphere that OC provides. When moving to OC from Arkansas, I didn’t love running into people every single time I stepped out of the house…however, it’s something I have actually grown to love. I truly think that everyone wants to feel known. As I have lived in the area for 6+ years, I have come to feel known. I love having people I know stop by the store. I could chat for hours with them. I equally love when new people come in. I love hearing each person’s story. I want everyone to feel known. Part of my mission is that every experience be a delight. What that means is that each time you step foot into ARIA you feel welcomed and valued. I want it to be a fun place that you enjoy coming to. I want it to be a place where you can feel GOOD about yourself. Maybe even feel better about yourself when you leave than when you come in.
  • What would you share with those outside of Orange City? Why should they come to shop our downtown businesses?
    • I challenge you, if you’re reading this, no matter where you live, that you consider making a trip to OC. It truly is a vibrant place. Each small business owner in OC works hard to better the community. We own businesses here because we love the community. We strive to continue to help this community thrive. We can only do that with your support. Owning a business isn’t easy, but because of you, it’s worth it!!! If you find yourself in the area, it would mean the world to me if you stopped in. Come say hi and introduce yourself.

We are excited to welcome them to Vibrant Orange City and invite you to visit the store soon!