Thursday, February 9, 2012

An Independent Fashion Revolution Meets Little Independent


A few months ago I was doing some research on the fashion community in Chicago.  As a city, they have so many resources that can be used to help you learn and grow not only in Chicago but anywhere. 

I happened upon an awesome amazing wonderful site called Little Independent.  Of course this attracted my attention since our whole life over here revolves around our own tag line:  an independent fashion revolution.  I thought it was just meant to be that I found this site. 

As I perused their site the more excited I got (I'm weird I know and I'm okay with that)!  It is so nice to come across people and concepts that are in line with what your own thoughts and passions are but with an individual twist that only the creator could have thought of. 

That creator happens to be Lesley Tweedie, Co-Founder and Owner of Little Independent.  See her in action HERE as she explains all about her "baby".  She and her husband founded Little Independent in 2010.  Their inspiration?  A lonely Bike Helmet! 

Their web site tells their story like this:  "My husband and I own a neighborhood bike shop in Chicago. Over the course of many months, we watched a bike helmet gather dust on the sale rack. We marked it down…then marked it down again. We showed it to customers we thought might like it. We put it out for the sidewalk sale. The helmet still wouldn’t sell. Sure, it was a bit over-sized and more expensive than others, but I knew someone out there would be happy to have it for a great price. I wished there was an easier way to reach that person.

I found fellow storeowners have the same issue. Even those that have e-commerce websites sometimes find themselves with an item that lingers too long. The available listing websites where I could reach a wider audience had high fees and complicated set-up processes. There was no inexpensive and simple-to-use online marketplace just for independent stores like mine."

What an awesome simple logical concept!!!  Breathing new life into an item that was destined for the clearance bin or even worse- having to bring it into my own home - because it wouldn't sell :)  As Lesley said there had to be someone out there who was a perfect match for her helmet and she came up with a way to provide an invaluable service.   

Independent retailers don't have the same luxuries or the financial freedom of large retailers like Saks or Lord & Taylor when it comes to sell through.  Most independent retailers also sell one-of-a-kinds or unique items that take that one special person to come across it and fall in love or fall in need with it.  Little Independent makes it easier for you, as a consumer, to get those items across state lines without leaving your own town.  It keeps the integrity of the independent retailer while giving it a helping hand. 

As of today Little Independent has 69 stores in 14 states with 239 sale items just waiting for YOU!!  They are growing by leaps and bounds so be sure to check their site frequently to get some incredible finds at incredible prices.

May I add that Lesley happens to be such a wonderful person and knows what great customer service is and how people should be treated!  For that, success is the only option for Little Independent because it comes from a good heart :)

For even more information about Little Independent take a look at their FAQ ~



Live life well and ENJOY!!!

Julia

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