From the eclectic mix of furniture and throw rugs to the eye-catching steel signs, it’s obvious that Bowling Green’s Steel Mill & Co. is out of the ordinary.

In more ways than one.A curiosity for its unique decor, the women’s boutique in the Old Town Square commercial development at U.S. 31-W By-Pass and Lehman Avenue is an anomaly for an entirely different reason: its rapid growth as a brick-and-mortar retailer.

Founded in 2016 by 23-year-old Chandler Rogers in a 2,000-square-foot space near Novo Dolce restaurant, Steel Mill & Co. has bucked the trend in retailing by not only surviving but thriving.

“Sometimes, I’d stand at the door, thinking please someone come in,” Rogers said, recalling the early days of her entrepreneurial venture.

They came.

Only three years after her start, Rogers has seen her store triple its square footage with a move into a larger space in Old Town Square, sign a deal with national licensing and branding company Lifeguard Press and open a second location in Lexington’s Chevy Chase area.

“It has been a crazy experience,” said Rogers, a Bowling Green native who graduated in 2011 from South Warren High School. “We grew about 500 percent from 2017 to 2018, and we hope to have that kind of growth again this year with the Lexington store open.”

That crazy experience started after her engagement to Seth Rogers in 2016. Chandler Rogers, who had worked at the Aeropostale and Buckle clothing stores in Bowling Green, was toying with the idea of opening her own store. Her future husband gave that idea the green light.

“If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I would’ve done it,” Chandler Rogers said. “He said, ‘This is your calling.’ ”

Today, Seth Rogers said he knew she had a talent for retailing. But even he didn’t know the extent of that talent.

“She has really exceeded all expectations,” said Seth Rogers, who owns an excavation company but has done much of the renovating at Steel Mill & Co. “She’s a very hard-working, driven woman in business and as a mom. It (the business) is growing so fast that I can’t keep up with it.”

That growth has accelerated since Lifeguard Press bought the Steel Mill & Co. brand in 2017, but it was Chandler Rogers who created the atmosphere that made her store attractive to the Bowling Green-based company that also owns the ban.do brand and licenses the Lilly Pulitzer and Kate Spade brands.

“A friend of mine suggested that I take a look at the store,” said David Scifres, chief growth officer for Lifeguard Press. “I went in and thought that whoever merchandises this store does a great job. The way it was arranged was exceptional.

“I met Chandler and talked to her a little bit. I felt it might be a good match to bring into our family of brands.”

Chandler Rogers said the relationship with Lifeguard Press wasn’t something she was seeking or expecting.

“I was flabbergasted that someone of that magnitude wanted to work with me,” she said. “It came out of the blue. They were talking about how they wanted a new brand.

“It has taken so much weight off my shoulders. Now I can concentrate on what I’m good at.”

The young entrepreneur said her strength is in creating, organizing and marketing a retail outlet that is “an experience, not just a clothing store.”

That started with something as basic as the store’s name. Chandler Rogers said the name came to her as she saw windmills while traveling through Indiana.

“I loved the look of the steel and the windmills,” she recalled. “That name stuck. I didn’t want a girlie name. I wanted something strong.”

She and her employees have put that steel-like strength in their business by creating an experience that customers can’t find online.

“Online shopping is convenient,” Chandler Rogers said. “But people want that relationship they can find here. People like coming in and seeing the same face every day. That’s why we’re here.”

That personal touch, combined with an effort to find out-of-the-ordinary local clothing and jewelry brands, has helped Steel Mill & Co. thrive.

“Chandler focused so much on customer service and having relationships with customers,” said Paige Calvert, marketing manager for Steel Mill & Co. “Most department stores don’t have that one-on-one service.”

Rogers, Calvert and Lexington store manager Rachel Sheldon are taking that customer service a step further, initiating what they’re calling a Personal Stylist program. It’s an outgrowth of Steel Mill’s practice of opening early or staying late at times to meet the needs of customers.

“The Personal Stylist program is for people who don’t have time to shop,” Calvert said. “We’ve already been doing it. We get to know you and what you like. We’ll pick out outfits for you to try.”

That program is another reason why Scifres of Lifeguard Press believes Steel Mill & Co. has created a niche that will keep it growing.

“I feel like a lot of retail stores have lost their way a little bit,” Scifres said. “We’ve gone through a rough few years in retail, but that leaves a vacuum in a lot of communities. I feel that Steel Mill can fill that vacuum.

“The staff at many stores are ringing people up but not really getting to know them. I want to bring that feeling of customer service to the market. We want to provide an environment that maximizes quality time with moms and daughters.”

Scifres said he is “super pleased” with the start of the Lexington store, and he doesn’t rule out opening other locations.

“We hope to begin working on a Nashville location later this year,” he said. “I feel like if we focus on customers really well, they’ll appreciate it.”