01/01/2025
Long post so get comfy & let’s go!
“My only goal in life right now is to be happy.
Genuinely, intensely and consistently happy, regardless of what that looks like to others.”
As most of you know we have been in business for 5 years (online the first two years & a retail space the last three years- still crazy to think it's been that long- time sure does fly by when you are having fun). Since then we have gone from working in a small guest bedroom, to my garage, to a small retail space, to the wonderful building we are in now that has been our home for the last 2 years. There have been thousands of people who have walked through our doors & most have left as not only our continual customer but as our friend. We have gone from a hobby enthusiast to a full print shop at a rate I never would have imagined would happen as I look back on it all. When this adventure began I would have never thought we would be where we are today but through the love & support of our customers The Hometown Hub has evolved into a community that I am so dang proud of.
The one thing ‘they’ (whoever that is) don't tell you when you start your own business is just how much time you will have to invest in it- regardless of what you think it will be like or how you will plan everything out, it comes to be a part of you- whether you think it is going to or not. You eat, sleep & breathe the collective idea that you have created from the ground up and invest every ounce of yourself into this idea & dream that you have drawn up in your mind. With no guarantees on whether or not it will be successful- you pour yourself into something in the hopes that you can one day reap the reward at the end of it- but what defines that reward? How do you put a value on something that is so broad, yet so close to you—-?
I have found that the hardest questions to answer about my business have been- “what made you want to own your own business” or “why did you start this business in the first place”? And honestly- I don't know that I can fully & knowingly answer those questions except by first saying that I started it to find myself…
When I started the Hometown Hub it was merely an idea to “give me something to do” after I had Emmie. For me a lot of things changed at once when I had her, the main point being that my husband started traveling for his job & was gone for half the year so I chose to fill the time that I had alone by diving into the creative aspect of things and cultivated a business out of it all- ultimately finding myself in the process.
At the time I never would have guessed what it took to be a mom, business owner & full time employee- all while juggling things on my own during the weeks Justin was out of town but somehow I managed- and things continued to get busier & busier. I was soon faced with an opportunity on whether to keep my full time job or throw in the towel on the business I had started from the ground up because I was working an 8-5 job and coming home & working another 7-9 hours on top of that most nights- I still don’t know when I slept…. But with the full support of my husband I walked away from my “big girl job” that I absolutely loved to pursue my dream full time. That was it, it became all or nothing for me and I was determined that I was going to continue to build on all the success that I had already had, and I did.
In October 2021 I walked away from my 8-5 job to pursue this dream full time, and during that time I was blessed to have been able to spend a little extra time with my dad before he passed away. This is something that I have just recently realized was all a part of God’s plan, in the most weird roundabout way.
My dad became sick around Thanksgiving, just a few weeks after I quit my job and I was able to take him to various Doctors appts during this time that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do if I would have stayed working where I was. When he passed on Christmas Eve it completely changed my whole world and made me realize how fleeting this life is. The last conversation we ever had together was him telling me how proud of me he was & how he couldn’t wait to see where this all would take me. I wholeheartedly believe that last conversation we had played a role in me deciding to open a storefront because two weeks after he passed I signed a lease for our first storefront & never looked back. During the process of setting up the store & getting it ready to open I found myself grieving through the loss of my Dad while creating & fulfilling a dream of mine- all while being pregnant with my son- talk about a whirlwind of emotions. It was the most challenging, yet rewarding time in my life that ultimately led me to create something to look forward to during the most difficult time in my life.
All this to say that the Hometown Hub was founded on the deepest parts of me & my emotions. It has become a part of me. The community in which it was founded has become my family. My kids have been raised alongside this business. They have both seen the highs & lows of what it takes to be a business owner, mom & wife- and let me tell you, it hasn’t always been fun. I have had some really dark days and wanted to throw in the towel but I have also had some of the best days. I have made lifelong friendships with some of the best people you could ever hope to know. I have learned what it takes to have grit, perseverance, determination and ultimately what it means to fight for yourself in the small business world- because it is no walk in the park and comes with so many challenges.
I have had my feelings hurt over the silliest of things, and I’m sure I have unintentionally hurt the feelings of others along the way because when you own a business you have to sink every ounce of yourself into it in order for it to succeed- and that comes at a price. And that sucks. Definitely not something I am proud of.
But overall it has taught me how strong of a person I am. Even through the biggest challenges and adversities I have pushed through. Have there been times when I have wanted to throw in the towel and walk away- 100% yes. Have I listened to the noise of things that don’t matter and allowed it to affect me.. 100% yes. Have I compared myself time & time again to things that shouldn’t have had such a grip on my life… 100%. Have I shown up on days where I could barely get the energy together to put my feet on the ground? 100%. But I did it. Time & time again.
I have fought SO DAMN HARD for this business. I have put some much time & energy into this business. I have invested so much money into this business. And I have created something that I am SO DAMN PROUD of.
Let me tell you this. I don’t care if you have owned your own business for 6 months or 60 years… it is the HARDEST thing you could ever do. And you can’t challenge me on that until you have done it yourself. Period.
So if you own your own business- regardless of what type of business you have, if you're just getting started or if you have been in business for longer than I’ve been on this earth- I applaud you. I give you all the credit because it is no easy feat. It takes a special type of person to cultivate something from the ground up & continue to sustain it. You are what makes the world go round, and I will gladly tip my hat to you because I get it. Continue to prove yourself wrong time & time again and hang on. Show up for yourself. Embrace your hard work and don’t let anyone stand in your way.
With all that being said… I have lost myself in this business.
I have lost what it means to be me. I have come to the point where I am no longer finding the joy in the creative process and it is time for me to step away.
Opening a storefront has been the ultimate fulfilled dream of mine. It is something I have loved doing, moreso for the people I have met over anything- Because let's face it, if you come into the shop you are going to be welcomed as family & get stuck talking to me about something- I got that gift from my dad, and what a joyous gift it has been. I have loved every minute of being able to connect with the wonderful people that have walked through our doors & the other small business owners we have met along the way that have become a part of our family. I come from a family of entrepreneurs so I understand probably more than most what it takes to own your own business and the sacrifices you have to make to keep it going.
But in doing all of this I have been slowly losing a piece of myself the busier we get. I have taken away countless hours from my family that I will never get back. I have spent more nights working late hours at the shop than I have tucking my kids into bed- and that is not something I am proud of, but it’s the side to owning a business that no one talks about- the sacrifices you have to make in the midst of the chaos. I haven’t had a day off in well over 3 years because I can’t fully take time away without getting a message and feeling guilty for not being able to answer it- again, part of owning a small business. But in the midst of all the ‘its part of owning a small business’ stuff I have found myself longing for a mental break.
This last year has been the hardest year on my body mentally & physically- not only due to undiagnosed medical reasons but the amount of stress I have put my body through has taken a huge toll on my overall health. I have to make a change not only for my overall health but for the sake of my family. I have felt more peace coming to terms with this decision in the last few days than I have in over a year.
SO… with all of that being said- The Hometown Hub will be closing down as a storefront as of March 1st. This decision hasn’t come lightly, as many of you know I love having a shop on York Ave more than anything in this world. I have poured my heart & soul into creating some of the most amazing things for our customers over the years from the ground up but it is all just too much for me to balance right now.
My kids deserve a mom that is the best version of herself- and right now that isn’t who I am.
My Husband deserves a wife that is the best version of herself- and right now that isn’t who I am.
And I deserve to be the best version of myself for me- and right now that isn’t who I am.
I want to be able to find the joy in the little things again rather than being stressed about the little things in life. And if you know me, you know my stress factor is always pretty high up there so you can imagine where I am at now.
It’s hard to come to terms with where I am at but when you are mentally reduced to nothing you have to start reevaluating some things in order to get back to being you. I have been in a place of denial for a long time while working myself ‘literally to death’ and that is a very scary place to be.
I am a person that continually fills the cup of those around me but I never replenish my own cup- and unfortunately that eventually has to come to an end. And I am to that point- Probably have been for much longer than I have realized.
Sometimes growth doesn’t always look like success- sometimes it looks like the small win of getting out of bed that day. Sometimes it looks like realizing you're struggling in silence & finally getting the courage to put words to it all. Sometimes it means showing up for your kids when you feel like you have nothing left in yourself to give.
And as long as this message is & as much as I am rambling… These are all real & valid things I have felt this year. I’ve never felt so lonely in trying to discover who I am or what I am supposed to be doing- and that's the most terrifying feeling in the world. But I am hear to tell you that it is ok- it is ok to not know what your next move is- it is ok to be terrified that your next chapter will be a different version of success than your used to- or maybe not successful at all- It’s ok to not have the answers to all questions & doubts that are filling your mind because at the end of the day, you can give all of yourself to something & to everyone else but if you don’t leave any part to you, you will end up doing all of this for nothing.
The Hometown Hub might not be a storefront anymore after March 1st, but we aren’t going anywhere. I am still going to be fully involved with the community, if not more, because we will be able to schedule out our events and spend more time cultivating things for the specific events we are attending throughout the year instead of feeling rushed all the time on top of our orders.
We have become more of a one off custom apparel shop- which has been great, don’t get me wrong- but it’s not what I intended for this business to become. I want to get back to the basics of doing what I love and creating products that everyone enjoys instead of chasing every order that comes our way- and that is ok.
With that being said, I ask that you come support our shop one last time in the next two months & help us clear out our inventory & fixtures so we can enter into this next chapter without all of the inventory weighing in the back of my mind.
Starting Friday we will have all Hometown Hub Merchandise at 50% OFF & all displays and fixtures priced to sell! Come see us from 12-4pm Thursday-Saturday this week!
We also have hundreds of backstock blanks (shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, etc) available to be purchased at heavily discounted prices so that we don’t have to store any of these items after we close the store. These items will be located in the black bins in the back of the shop- first come first serve on all of our back stock blanks.
Please email us if you are looking for something specific regarding our inventory or fixtures and we can let you know if we have it in stock.
I would appreciate your business now more than ever as we move out of our store.
I want to thank each one of you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to do what I love. I wouldn’t be where I am today without your continued support. I know this is going to break the hearts of so many of our wonderful customers but I ask for your continued support as we transition to being online. Please come see us in the upcoming weeks to help us clear out our inventory.
All my love,
Jo
P.S- please get out & support your local small businesses. I can’t stress enough how important it is to shop local. If you don’t show up and shop at the small businesses there may not be small businesses to shop one day.
I want to thank my mom & husband for being my two biggest supporters throughout all of this. You both have helped me realize that no matter what decision I make you both are always behind me 100%. I wouldn’t be where I am without your help. I know things haven’t been easy with me having my own business and I wouldn’t be where I am today without your help. I am so blessed to have you both in my corner, it takes a village. Love you so so much!
✨Happy New Year Hometown Hub Family! ✨
Here’s to all the new adventures coming in 2025!
Cheers 🥂
