05/05/2022
It is with a heavy, yet hopeful heart that I write this post announcing the closure of the final chapter of The Exchange. Though I have known that this was necessary for quite some time, I have been putting it off because to say it means ultimate finality. In honor of the past 5 most magical years, let’s take a trip down memory lane together, shall we? 🤗
In July 2017, my dreams became a reality in the sweetest little brick bungalow on N Spring Street. I had no idea then what The Exchange was capable of…all I knew was that I created something that I believed to be special and I was excited to share it with the women of the community. In all of my 32 years (at the time), it was the first thing in my life that I have done that I was extremely proud of. Because of this, I absolutely cherished everything The Exchange. I would breath, eat, sleep, bleed The Exchange. My grand opening evening will always be one of my most precious memories. I was blown away by the community’s support, advocacy and outreach. My first year of business, I was completely lovestruck! Even slow sales days couldn’t bring me down because the spark I felt definitely outshined any of the unpleasant roles of running a business. That first year was a whirlwind filled with unforgettable market visits to purchase inventory for the store, fun try-on sessions in the dressing room, paint parties, art crawls, the many FB Live videos with friends and other local business owners and a whole lot of learning and growing. After building relationships with so many amazing women, I realized pretty quickly on how vital connection amongst women truly is. It was in that first year that the monthly Women & Small Business Social was born. If you attended the first one, then you witnessed me breaking down while addressing the crowd and crying ugly, yet happy tears. I was overwhelmed by the amount of women that came and so moved by the amount of connections being made right there in my special space on N. Spring Street.
As I was approaching year 2 in business, I realized two things. 1.) The location wasn’t the greatest for a storefront and 2.) I was quickly running out of space. The week before my lease renewal was due on N Spring Street, the best corner storefront location fell into my lap…224 W Main Street. Scary & expensive it was, but I knew it was necessary for The Exchange to be successful. A bigger location meant more inventory and better location meant more foot traffic. As sacred as that 1st year in business was on N Spring Street, the overall experiences & friendships that were made on Main were just untouchable. IYKYK: pink couch conversations, Millie (AKA #2), fun fashion shows, champagne o’clock, Covid Fashion Distractions, Sip & Shop Saturdays, $20 Fill-A-Bag sales, Good Things Happen Here, Together is a Beautiful Place To Be and The Social Exchange. These are just a few of my favorite things 🤍
With the additional square footage that Main Street provided, I was able to create a place that I new was a need in our community in June 2019. A space for women to gather, The Social Exchange. My ultimate purpose, passion and heart. What started out solely as a convenient setting for bringing women together for the socials, workshops and events I hosted has now evolved into a rentable event venue for private celebrations such as baby showers, bridal showers and birthday parties. It warms my heart to know that so much love & joy has and continues to be shared between those walls. 🥰
Along with the business growth, came more responsibility. All while I was bringing the big energy & positivity, underneath I was struggling. The more that I took on with my businesses, the more I was robbing myself and my family of time in this life that just moves so fast. Being a newlywed and a mom of a teenage son, I knew I was missing out on precious moments that I knew I would not be able to get back. Guilt and sadness filled me. I knew I had to do something. My goal was to slow down enough to be more present with my family and dear friends all while somehow keeping my dream alive. So, in November 2021, I made the emotional decision to close my storefront and transition online. The days leading up to the last day of locking those storefront doors were very emotional, however, I was optimistic about this shift. All the hype and support that the Exchange community showed during this time definitely helped to reassure me that I was making the right decision.
Launch day took place on Jan 1, 2022. New Year, New Way! I had been behind the scenes since November prepping and processing inventory so was extremely pumped to get back connected with my community, even if it was virtually! The plan: Weekly Facebook Live sales, Instagram drops and regular meetups at The Social Exchange for order pickups.
On Jan 1, I counted down the seconds to 12PM for the website to go live. At 12:01PM, I received a devastating call that my Papa had a massive stroke and was in the hospital. An exciting day for a fresh start immediately turned tragic. Two weeks later, my Grandmother gets Covid and is taken to the hospital. Then, on February 14th, we had to put our sweet dog, Lucky, down. As I write this post, my Papa and Grandmother have both passed away recently after both being hospitalized for months. I have maintained a smile and an upbeat attitude on the surface, but I am full of grief.
I have always encouraged authenticity and transparency and for this reason I feel compelled to share this with you without any holdbacks. The losses I have endured in just these few short months alone have been absolutely heartbreaking, but they have also confirmed that time is precious and loving your people hard is so important. It is for this very reason that I have decided to close this final chapter of The Exchange and dedicate my time to being the best mother, wife, daughter, and friend I can be. These people need me and I need them.
I end this all to let you know that the last five years have been an absolute blessing! I love each and every one of you and am so thankful for the way you have loved me and supported my dream over the years. I have become a better person by knowing each one of you. You will always be my Exchange Sisters! XO 💕
P.S. There will be BIG finale sale at The Social Exchange on Sunday May 29th! I would love to hug your necks one last time💞Stay tuned for details!
