Local business that makes educational blankets needs votes for Making it with Lowe's challenge

FOX 2 - Joanna Serra and her sister Barbara Kent who lives in Germany, are the owners of Birdy Boutique in Romeo.

The sisters and their business are making headlines in a national small business competition sponsored by Lowe’s, being named finalists in the "Making it with Lowe's" challenge.

"We were selected as the top 14 for 'Making it with Lowe's,'" Serra said.

It’s a program that supports the efforts of small businesses across the country. Serra and Kent’s business is the only Michigan-based business in the finals and their flagship product-line of learning blankets.

"My sister is a disabled veteran and she was always really good with sewing," she said. "That’s what inspired us to start our business and I am a retired teacher, I taught for nearly a decade. So I wanted to create something that was educational and has purpose behind it."

Kent is a West Point grad and is in Germany where she is a mom and a wife to an active-duty soldier. She and Serra immigrated to the US as kids with their parents from Poland, and understood the value of learning and obtaining an education.

"So one day we came up with the idea what if we make a blanket and on it were some educational topics," she said.

If Birdy Boutique wins the competition they could have their product featured in Lowe’s  But they need your help to make it to the next phase

"We need votes to make it to the top five and if we make it to the top five we’re able to secure a grant," Serra said.

During this phase…there’s more product pitching to business leaders and members of Lowe’s executive team who ultimately choose the winner

"The ultimate winner gets a $50,000 grant to help grow their business and they get to be on Lowe’s shelves nationwide," she said.

To find out how you can support Birdy Boutique go to miwlfanfavorite.com/

And to learn more about Birdy Boutique, go to its Facebook page here.