So guys... ever since I decided to start Denim & Street I've gotten TONS of questions about shopping with a small retailer/boutique vs. shopping at a big box retailer (like Forever 21, American Eagle, Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, etc.). And time after time I'm like OMG shopping small is the way to go!!! For soooo many reasons. So I've decided to share this blog post with you guys and break it down to just the top 5 reasons why shopping small-- at Denim & Street or with ANY small retailer-- is just the cool thing to do ;) !
1. The Personal Experience
Ok ladies: who can tell me (without googling!) the CEO or founder of Forever 21? Macy's? American Eagle? ...... I'm not sure, but I think I'm hearing crickets. And here's the thing, I don't know either!! I've shopped at all of these places plenty of times and I have no idea who my money is going to. When you shop small, a lot of times you are working directly with the owner or CEO themselves when you make your purchase. To them, every single purchase matters. It's oftentimes their livelihood and serving you is their biggest passion! Further more, they know exactly who you are too! They care when you're birthday is, when you're graduating college, and the fact that you just. got. engaged?!?!-- OMG WHAT ARE YOU GONNA WEAR FOR ALL THE THINGS?!
When you place an order at Denim & Street, I (Alyx, Owner) am personally the one to see the order come in and make sure that it's fulfilled and sent out with love and care! You get a thank you card, extra freebies thrown in just as a thank you, and your box or bag is decorated with stickers. No more items carelessly thrown into a soft pack. When you follow us on instagram, I'm the one that does the happy dance! And when you send us an email with an inquiry or a return? I'm personally the one to respond to it. Which brings me to my next point....
2. AWESOME Customer Service
As a small business owner, ever single customer matters. Every single order matters! If something is wrong, we are going to make every effort to fix it and do what is right for the customer. At Denim & Street, you'll never get someone on the phone that doesn't speak your language or a lackluster effort to fix a situation over email. You'll get ME, Alyx, the owner of the business, speaking directly with you! I care about my GIRL FAM!! I never want you guys to have a bad experience or be unhappy at all with your order. After all, the goal is to have you feeling excited about your new killer clothes and like you can go out and kill it too!
3. Quality > Quantity
Speaking of killer clothes... I've also seen a lot of questions and/or comments about why clothes from boutiques are more costly than clothes you might find at a big box retailer like Forever 21. The first reason is they are often better quality pieces! They're likely made with better fabric by a more expert craftsman. Let's break it down this way: if a big box retailer is selling you a top for $10, that $10 would have had to cover the cost of the fabric, the cost of labor to make it, shipping from overseas, and still make them a profit margin worth their trouble. So what wage did they pay the factory worker to make it? What was the cost (and quality) of the fabric?
Oftentimes, when you shop with a boutique, they have bought their items from a local artist or a wholesaler based in the USA who have carefully designed (and maybe even handmade) the items. So the cost of the item at wholesale is greater which means you are getting a better quality item! AND a lot of wholesalers we shop with at Denim & Street also have their items made in the USA! So your money is staying right here and you know that those workers are subject to minimum wage laws. Ultimately, the price reflects the quality of the item you're getting! These babies won't fall apart in one wash ;)
4. Unique Pieces
At Denim & Street, we want you to be able to STAND OUT and still feel like yourself! Hours upon hours are spent contacting vendors, and looking for just the right items that are different from what everyone else has and are still on trend! Boutiques are typically very niche so when you shop with your favorite boutique they're only carrying a small amount of items that are specifically tailored to their target market-- meaning you get pieces that not everyone has! No one wants to look like everyone else, right?! Shop with us and eliminate the omg-I'm-wearing-the-same-dress-as-my-arch-enemy feeling from your life. lol
5. Small Businesses Give Back
Small businesses have a HUGE economic impact!! They provide jobs in the communities where they're established and bring growth and innovation to local communities! Furthermore, small business owners take pride in their communities and give back to those communities as well with donations, community service, or simply just by living and spending money in that community.
So the next time you think about running to one of the big chain clothing stores jump into your nearest boutique OR visit us online!! Denim & Street hand selects each and every piece of clothing that we decide to sell and I still reply to every customer email or DM we receive! I love this little community we've built and am truly grateful for the Denim & Street GIRL FAM!