CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Somewhat to her surprise, Jennifer Miller has a growing clientele in Charleston for her eco-friendly line of fashion.

That's one reason she opened a retail store downtown, at the corner of Quarrier and Hale streets.

On Sept. 1, she'll move around the corner to 202 Hale St. into the space that has been a framing store. Miller said the store will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"Someone has to start," said Miller, if the downtown is going to be alive after 5 p.m.

The 30-year-old animal behaviorist recently returned to her hometown to launch Mission Savvy, a new venture to use fashion as a way to educate the public about protecting both the environment and animals.

In the spring, Miller showed her clothing line in several shows locally as well as in larger cities. As a one-person operation, the effort into organizing shows and the travel required became overwhelming, she said.

Although she planned to be headquartered in Charleston, "I wasn't anticipating the clientele base in Charleston. It's a growing base. I needed to be able to interact with them and to be accessible," Miller said.

And she pointed out that the store isn't just about fashion. She is putting up a small exhibit showing the environmental damage caused by the conventional process of producing clothes compared to the eco-friendly version.

"I want people to feel and see -- that the dress on the rack is made from outer bark like this in the can on the display table," she said.

This fall, Miller hopes to bring in others to showcase their ecological clothing, shoes, jewelry and food products in the store.

Her mother, Sue Miller, who owns the raw foods consulting firm Eats of Eden, will have display shelves containing healthy foods and snacks.

Jennifer Miller plans to have frequent events in the store, public and private, and has ideas designed to appeal to the young, creative community.

For instance, Green Drinks Charleston will be meeting the first Tuesdays of every month in Mission Savvy. The group is interested in environmental issues.

She gestured toward the vacant white walls. "The walls are blank. I am open to artists putting pretty art on the wall. This is a community, not just an isolated business," she said.

Before her recent move, Miller had her studio and warehouse in the Smith Street building that Charleston Area Alliance sponsors as an incubator for new, small businesses. She is still keeping her space there.

Miller said she rented the smallest space from the Alliance at $289 for her studio and $95 for the warehouse. But she believes more can be done to help emerging businesses.

Missing is the communications element, she said, such as e-mail or print newsletters with regular columns on who's doing what.

Nor was it clear to her what the financial incentives are for starting a business in Charleston. Why, she wondered, isn't there some tax relief for start-up companies?

"There is no one location I could go to and find out what to do for help in financing, marketing," she said.

Miller said her bank, BB&T, has provided the most beneficial advice in helping to establish her business.

She likes what East End Main Street offers with small grants to help fledging businesses renovate, and the volunteer-produced newsletter that promotes events and news of interest to the historic neighborhood.

She believes the Charleston Area Alliance has the potential to provide more assistance to small businesses.

Mission Savvy's web site is www.missionsavvy.com. Miller can be contacted at missionsa...@gmail.com or 774-208-3669.

Reach Rosalie Earle at ea...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5115.