Style with a shot of expresso
A family brews their dream boutique together
in their hometown with community support.
A fresh aroma of coffee and friendly smiles greet customers as they walk through the doors of Maeday Coffee & Boutique in the morning. Brandi Pravacek and her daughters Allison Pechous and Brooke Heisinger serve coffee and style in downtown Scotland for their neighbors and visitors.
My mother, sister, and I love providing a clothing and coffee option to our hometown,” Allison says. “We saw such growth when we first started from community support that we wanted to keep a space big enough for people to gather.”
Maeday Coffee & Boutique gives visitors and locals a place to enjoy fresh coffee, seasonal fashion, and time together. The menu includes acai bowls on Thursdays, occasional baked goods from a local bakery, and healthy drink alternatives, along with many popular coffee drinks.
The three women work together on different aspects of daily business. Allison manages social media and day-to-day operations, Brooke oversees business and finances, and Brandi works behind the scenes managing supplies and attending to other duties.
From online to local
Before Maeday was a coffee shop, the three ran Lillie Mae’s, an online fashion store named after Brandi’s grandmother. In 2022, when the only coffee shop in Scotland announced its closure, the family stepped in to take over, now running two businesses.
“It was crazy how much growth we experienced at first, and it became clear we needed more space,” Allison says. “We combined both businesses into Maeday Coffee & Boutique to retain our grandmother’s name.”
After renaming, they moved into Rettedal’s downtown in 2024, a department store run by Dean and Karen Rettedal. Though the couple retired after 45 years, they still return often; Karen now works part time at the coffee shop to stay connected.
Coffee coming full circle
After earning her degree in entrepreneurial studies and ag business from South Dakota State University, Brooke made her dream of owning a business a reality. Allison soon joined her, and together they’ve created a space that attracts and impresses visitors with its atmosphere and coffee.
Allison used her master’s degree in education to teach in Texas until she realized the area wasn’t for her. She moved back to South Dakota to be near her family and friends, who serve as her support system. After getting engaged, Allison and her now husband moved back to Scotland, where the entire family live within five miles of each other. She loves working with her family and the many college and high school employees.
“It’s really nice to have people from the area working for us,” Allison says. “Everyone has family nearby and has been here a while, so it’s great getting to know people; we can celebrate birthdays or invite them to weddings, which wouldn’t be possible in a big city.”
Wi-Fi that works
Maeday Coffee & Boutique uses Golden West for every sale they make as well as Wi-Fi for customers. Allison says people come to her coffee shop for a change of scenery, an option used especially by
remote workers and students.
Since opening the doors for Maeday, Allison says there hasn’t been a single internet issue. During her pregnancy, Allison also used her home internet service for work, which she says was especially helpful because of Golden West’s reliability.
Home-grown connection
Building relationships with customers means a lot to Allison. She says it’s rewarding to experience small-town life. She explains that everything fell into place for her family and herself returning to Scotland.
“Living in a small town is right where I wanted to be,” Allison says. “It’s rewarding to see younger families moving back, and I’m happy to see so many people I’ve known for years finding success, growing, and flourishing.”
