CHICAGO — The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) proudly honored Personal Touch Boutique as the 2025 Illinois Retailer of the Year during the group’s 68th Annual Meeting held Thursday at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel.
Personal Touch Boutique, a cornerstone of East St. Louis since 1994, has grown into the city’s only locally-owned men’s fashion retailer, offering everything from suits and shoes to hats and jogging sets. Owned by husband-and-wife team Derrick and Bernita Maxwell, the boutique has been recognized for its quality menswear and decades of service to the community. While firmly rooted in East St. Louis, its loyal customer base extends far beyond Illinois, with shoppers traveling from across the country and ordering online to find unique, hard-to-find styles.
The Maxwells’ journey as business owners has not been without obstacles, as East St. Louis has long struggled with declining population, high crime, and economic hardship. But from selling clothes in a converted box car to surviving fires, break-ins, and years of financial uncertainty, they persevered with faith, resilience, and a steadfast belief in their community.
“Adversity comes with owning a business, but we wanted to set an example for our community that success is possible if you stay committed – and we are committed to the people of East St. Louis,” said Derrick Maxwell. “It’s an honor to have our work recognized by being named the 2025 Illinois Retailer of the Year, and we thank our customers and our community for their continued support.”
Personal Touch Boutique was previously featured in IRMA’s “We Are Retail” campaign; their feature can be found here. “We Are Retail” is a promotional campaign to share the stories of independent retailers across the state through videos, photographs, blogs, social media and advertisements. The goal is to highlight a variety of retailers from every corner of Illinois, demonstrating the breadth and depth of Illinois’ retail sector.
“Derrick and Bernita have built a business that is truly a cornerstone of their community. They’ve persevered in the face of challenges with the belief that their work carries a deeper responsibility,” said Rob Karr, President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “Personal Touch Boutique represents the best of Illinois retail: an excellent entrepreneurial vision, impressive perseverance and a deep connection to the people they serve. IRMA is proud to honor them as our 2025 Illinois Retailer of the Year.”
Also recognized Thursday was Gordon Davis, owner of Whimsy Tea Company in Springfield, who was presented with the 2025 IRMA Leadership Award. Davis has made a lasting impact as an advocate for retail, specifically small businesses, meeting with legislative leaders at the state and federal level to discuss the issues facing retailers today. More about Whimsy Tea Company, also featured in the “We Are Retail” campaign, can be found here.
About the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA)
One of the largest state retail organizations in the United States, IRMA serves as the voice of retail and the business community in state government. Founded in 1957, IRMA represents more than 25,000 stores of all sizes and merchandise lines. From the nation’s largest retailers to independent businesses in every corner of the state, merchants count on IRMA to fight for the best possible environment in which to do business in Illinois. For more information, visit https://irma.org.
