Call it cowgirl couture. That's how Codi Ricken refers to the boutique she opened inside the A1 Feed Store at 5092 N. Academy Ave. in Clovis.

As co-owner of the feed store, Ricken was looking for something she could call her own. And although she had been selling designer jeans, jewelry and other gift items at the store, she wanted her own defined space.

So she recently put the finishing touches on Crazy Cowgirl Closet, a small store within the feed store.

Now, along with buying grain and feed, people can shop for flip flops, silver earrings or leather hobo purses.

"When I go into feed stores, I always enjoy looking at all the different things they have," Ricken said. "And I want to give people who come into our store something new to look at."

Ricken said her Crazy Cowgirl Closet appeals to everyone from little girls to older women. And even guys will find the store useful, especially when it comes to gift buying.

"Guys can come in and get their hay and get a Christmas present, all in one trip," Ricken said. "And they don't need to worry, I will make them look good."

Fat Boys opens big

Susan Flores is living her dream.

After graduating from culinary school several years ago, Flores dreamed of running her own full-service restaurant. And while she got some experience running the cafe Central Java with her sister last year, that venture closed. (Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly reported that Flores' cafe had been called Planet Java.)

But when the former George's Restaurant at 3045 W. Bullard Ave. in Fresno recently became available, she and her husband, Wayne, jumped at the chance to lease it.

"This is something I have always wanted to do since becoming a chef and now I get my chance," Flores said.

Flores, who used to cater under the name Fat Boys, kept the name for the restaurant.

She and her husband officially opened Fat Boys Taqueria and Sportsbar on Nov. 4. And their grand opening is scheduled Dec. 10.

The restaurant features Mexican and American food with many homemade recipes.

"The fish tacos are great, as is the shrimp cocktail, and we will serve my mom's potato salad," Susan Flores said. "And we will have amazing soups made from scratch. Everything will be made fresh."

Fat Boys is designed to be kid- and family-friendly with arcade games, pool tables and plenty of big-screen televisions to watch sports.

New Tower boutique

Four friends who specialize in selling everything from purses to scented candles have combined their wares in one store. Last month they opened Hall of Fame Boutiques at 1040 Fulton Ave., near the Babylon Club in Fresno's Tower District.

Inside the store are Margaret Romero selling Scentsy candles, Georgina Reiland selling Cookie Lee jewelry, Sandy Rodriguez selling Mary Kay cosmetics and P.J. Boulez selling jewelry and purses embellished with rhinestones.

Reiland said being under one roof gives customers a chance to buy their products and those of the other vendors.

"We all used to do home parties, but those seem to have gone the way of the buffalo," Reiland said.

The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m.