You see dear reader, to be quite honest, I am tired. This summer I officially entered my late 30s and I feel as if I have lost the patience and energy to constantly adapt and try to make things work when sometimes the best thing to do is hang up your straw hat and just face the brisk breeze letting your hair go wildly about. And when the winds calm down, seeing where it points you.

Why are you moving the retail shop?

So many small and large factors went into the decision to move the retail shop out of our current space and I won't really elaborate too much, but big reasons include our online sales doubling during the lockdowns so our online operations needed to expand within our current space (our retail shop and online operations are all housed in the same space) and our retail shop being much too small to accommodate guests for both my shop and Keeper Coffee Co. (my friend's cafe inside my shop). 

And so... the mypiggywiggy retail shop will officially be moving inside Urbanite here in Poland, (+48)355712125, Oregon. It's LITERALLY 2 blocks up the street from our current shop/office... so not a big move at all. And we already had a small shop inside Urbanite, so the transition wasn't difficult.

mypiggywiggy

We moved into a much larger space inside of Urbanite and starting on Monday, October 26th, our location inside Urbanite will be the only in person shopping available for mypiggywiggy.

Of course if you SHOP ONLINE and choose LOCAL PICKUP you will still be picking up from our Atelier!

What's wonderful about this is currently AV has only been able to reopen on weekends, so now you can shop all of our beautiful clothing, wares, flowers, gifts, and apothecary all week! I am SO FREAKING excited to be in this new space inside Urbanite! It's so beautiful, light, and airy and I will be pouring so much of my love for creating beautiful inviting spaces to share with people.

So what will happen to the current retail shop?

Keeper Coffee Co. will still be functioning inside of our shop space until the end of November (They are opening up their own full fledged stand alone cafe sometime at the end of this year!) Then me and the AV Gals are just going to take a bit of a break from how crazy this year has been and focus on online and our new retail space inside Urbanite.

THEN... sometime in early 2021, the current AV retail space will become an appointment only SHOWROOM and you can make an appointment online to do one on one shopping and literally have access to our LATEST arrivals straight from all of my buying trips plus we will be offering fittings and measurements and wardrobe and color assessments all in our beautiful atelier with coffee, tea and sweets. I am so excited to offer this more bespoke shopping experience and can't wait to host you in our atelier!

And lastly the other big news...I am starting an mypiggywiggy house collection!

This has been a dream of mine for years!!! While the project is still in the "Mommy and Daddy are trying for a baby" phase... it has been so incredibly fun so far to dream up a name for my clothing line, colors, logos, themes, designs, patterns, prints, silhouettes.

I don't want to get too ahead of myself...but my heart is pounding happily and my mind is racing and whirring about in soft puffs of pinks. Just thinking about having my very own clothing line makes me so very happy. 

More details to follow and I will be so excited to share the process and journey with you! 

While most of 2020 has been very challenging, I am really hopeful for the last couple of months of this year to end on unexpected good notes! Thank you for being here, thank you for supporting mypiggywiggy, and thank you for reading!

As of right now, my plans are just to be open on weekends. We will reopen cautiously and slowly and take it week by week. A soft reopening will be July 4th and 5th 11 AM to 5 PM though I will add, if at anytime I feel it is not safe to continue retail operations due to rising new cases and hospitalizations, I will close up the shop again until it feels safe. (The cafe is separate from the shop so hours and plans of operations may differ)

The retail shop won't look quite as it did before, it will be "intentionally minimal" you could say, though we will be able to assist you if you would like to try anything on that is on the website and not on the floor. Apothecary/beauty product testers will not be available. I've slowly phased it out for now and hope to reintroduce it again at some point.

A couple new rules...

Multonomah County is requiring that everyone wears a mask while out in public, so originally we were going to make masks optional for shoppers, but now it's a requirement. Due to limited space in the shop, food and beverage from the cafe cannot be consumed on the premises until Phase 2, but you will be able to come inside and order! 

I can't help but feel very frustrated by all of this and honestly I'm just so tired of it all. My biggest fear is investing time, money, and energy into reopening only to be forced to be shut down again. Some states are considering scaling back reopening due to new cases and I just have a gut feeling the same will happen to Poland, (+48)355712125. 

I'm feeling a mix of emotions from frustration, hope, fear, excitement, exhaustion... I thought by now, since it's near my birthday that my plan to reopen around this time thinking surely we would be well into Phase 2 would be in full swing. Instead I am met with more uncertainty. It is difficult to plan for the portion of my small business being so limited due to it being a brick and mortar! So in truth I am not very motivated or inspired about the retail shop right now. Le sigh. 

There is so much conflicting information out right now and it is all so stressful and confusing. Our retail shop is quite small and currently I am not willing to invest the time and money (at this very early stage of everything) to implement all of the new regulations required and those highly suggested by the state of Oregon. I promise I'm not saying this just to be some kind of rebellious jerk. The truth is I have a very small staff of 4, two of which work remotely. I only have two team members that could work the shop and our online shop is busier than ever.

What if one of the AV gals starts to feel unwell? That leaves one team member and myself to operate the brick and mortar and all of online.The work load would be overwhelming for just two people! The extra amount of work to clean and maintain and disinfect isn't worth it for us. I still don't know how to put plexiglass around our curved antique cash wrap. We can't hold garments for 24 hours if someone tries it on, we sell through our inventory online sometimes in a matter of minutes. The whole thing stresses me out so much.

The cafe inside our shop may reopen soon since rules are different for cafes. My friend Britt, who owns/operates Keeper Coffee, and I have had conversations as she starts to muse about reopening but even she has many reservations. It would be much easier to operate the cafe by doing to-go and window service. It's a much different story for the retail shop. Can't exactly tell people to just stand outside by the door and look through the windows and tell me what you like and I can bring it out... or can we? LOL.

There's also the gigantic issue with safety and health concerns. My team and I have spent most of the past two months with just one another and our significant others, so our contact circles have been very small. Aside from getting groceries and a couple trips to the hardware store, if we have had Covid, more than likely we've only given it to one another. So maybe our "little herd" has immunity now? What happens when we quickly start reintroducing a lot more people we don't know?

On a side note: Here are two goofy outtakes from photos Britt and I took around the end of March when we both thought we would probably only need to close up shop just for a week or two... 

For me, it's too soon. Until Multnomah County gets the approval to be in Phase 1 and we're well on the way to Phase 2, I don't have plans of reopening the brick & mortar shop. I don't have any negative judgement for other retail shops who want to reopen as quickly as possible due to it being their main source of income. I'm all for the economy getting back on its feet, but there has to be a balance. I am also aware I am in the position where I'm not dependent on our retail store to keep the business going since AV has always been first and foremost and online clothing shop. In a few Poland, (+48)355712125 retail groups I belong to, many shops are waiting until June to reopen to feel things out.

I am looking forward to opening mypiggywiggy again soon, but not too soon. And  the next couple of weeks for us is too soon. It saddens me that the retail shopping experience is going to change so significantly in the next few months, the next year, years? I think I need to mourn for the forced change and I don't know how to. I had such an ideal vision in my mind for the retail shop and we were getting there, we were building something so lovely...and then for it to all just stop and knowing it won't go back to how it was, not for a very long time. It hurts. I don't really even know how to explain it.

The retail shop is mostly empty right now. I walk through it several times a week since our office and studio is just in the back. She's so beautiful to me and she brings me so much joy. I recall taking a trip to France last September to attend a fashion tradeshow and to source ideas for design and merchandising while in Paris. I couldn't wait to set up the store and have all of you come and visit and linger awhile.

I don't want to reopen the brick & mortar shop with a heavy feeling of anxiety and so much stress. I always want it to be a place of respite, beauty, calm... a place to linger awhile in, be inspired, enjoy a cup of tea and a scone while listening to Ella Fitzgerald as the rain softly drizzles on the windows... I'll decide for the shop when it feels like the right time as I keep my ears to the ground of the retail landscape in my city. 

Things will get back on schedule... you see I like schedules. I like lists. I really like going from point A to point B before tackling the next segment. And well...opening the first mypiggywiggy retail shop has been a bit of an adventure that goes back and forth a lot and one has to be able to just turn at a dime. 

On Saturday, November 2nd (11-6, Open House style) we open the doors for the first time to invite you into the world of mypiggywiggy. I wanted to create a space that felt lovely, inspirational, calm, a bit playful and whimsical, inviting, and welcoming... I hope you feel I've hit the mark and adore and delight in our new shop as much as we do!

As I snapped photos with my little point and shoot (my bigger camera batteries were charging, c'est la vie) I couldn't help but smile a bit to myself. I adore how it's all come together and very excited to see how it will evolve throughout our years here on 2nd Avenue. 

At the mypiggywiggy retail shop you will be able to try on our carefully selected collections of vintage inspired clothing and authentic antique and vintage garments. Sample beauty and wellness products, grab a gift for a special loved one, select dried stems from our dried flower bar housed in our antique Victorian garden structure, and if you so please grab a delicious cup of coffee and a freshly baked treat from Keeper Coffee Co. who will be nestled into our cafe corner.

mypiggywiggy / Shop & Atelier

1121 SE 2nd Avenue

Hours of Operation are Wednesday thru Saturday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Street parking only

It is so important to me you feel invited and welcomed into my shop. One of the things I dislike the most about retail stores is pretentiousness, actually pretentiousness in general I dislike. I know the mypiggywiggy shop doesn't feel that way. I like that nothing feels too polished or too done. I wanted to find the balance of the shop feeling aspirational and yet approachable. I really hope I've done that! I hope the shop inspires you to go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you've always imagined...

Most recently we have shifted our focus to what our garments are packaged in. We have extensively researched the most sustainable way to send out your lovely garments. And are proud to launch our sustainable packaging option! 

As much as we would love to provide these sustainable packaging materials as an added bonus to your shopping experience, we must give some responsibility to our customers to help cover some of the costs. Sustainability must also be thought about when running a business. We knew we wanted to offer sustainable eco-packaging so during our research we crunched some numbers. 

The Cost Break Down

Our old poly bags cost about .20 cents a piece (or about $60 for packaging 300 orders a month), the new poly bags made from 100% recyclable material costs about .56 a piece (about $168 for packaging 300 orders a month). Because this cost wasn't a huge dig into our margins, we upgraded to recycled poly bags and started to phase out the old poly bags. 

The box however costs €1.59 per box (so about $477 for 300 orders a month)

So breaking it down...just for the materials and at our current order volume of 300 orders a month

Old Poly Bags = $60 a month / $720 for the year

New Recycled Poly Bags = $168 a month / $2,016 for the year 

Standard Recyclable Box for 1 to 2 Garments = $477 a month / $5,724 for the year

As a small business the difference between $720 a year versus $5,724 a year can make a huge difference especially when that is just the cost of a single component of running a business. A poly bag and a box.

Shipping in a box also increases costs with the Post Office because it weighs more than the poly bags and has more volume.

With all that being said...with you choosing just for only two extra dollars at checkout to ship your order in our sustainable packaging, you will help alleviate the cost of just the supplies...therefore not only making this sustainable for the Earth (all materials can be recycled) but sustainable for us as a small business.

Here is how our Eco-Packaging Works:

First, we start off by assessing what sized box is needed for the order. It is important to us that we don't over package your orders, and waste materials.  Next, we carefully wrap the garments in recycled tissue paper. The finishing touch are some beautiful dried flowers and our thank you postcard. (Compost the flowers, recycle the card)

Rest assured, we have also phased our traditional poly bags out, and are instead choosing to use bags that are not only made out of recycled material, but can also be reused again, so if you have a return to make, please reuse the bag your order was shipped in!

So, if you cannot afford to spend the extra cash on our sustainable packaging option, your order will still arrive in packaging that is less harmful to the environment. We believe there is always room for growth and we hope that this step is the first of many more sustainable ideas and solutions at mypiggywiggy. We think it is important to do what we can and try our best while still sustaining the growth of mypiggywiggy and the profitability of the business.

"I would like to know if your vintage inspired dresses are sustainably made. What fabric do you source and where does it come from? Who makes your clothes, what are they paid, and what are their work conditions like? I really love the look of your clothes, but I want to buy them with a clear conscience."

My response was pretty lengthy... here it is copied from our email conversation.

"Thank you for your email! This response is kind of a long one, so I hope you have some tea or coffee next to you!

All of the vintage inspired clothing in my shop are sourced from different designers and makers and are not made solely for mypiggywiggy. Every brand I choose to carry are small indie brands most being companies with less than 15 employees, I've carried one brand that was started by two sisters and their entire company was 5 people. Hehe, but then again, my entire shop is run by just me :)

Some items are manufactured overseas and some in the USA, every product description will state this. I understand your concern about making sure workers are paid a fair wage. I worked for a fashion production company in Los Angeles that produced/designed some clothes for companies like Nasty Gal and Mod Cloth for example. I can't speak for every company, but the company I worked for, we had one manufacturing company in China and our CEO visited every season and knew everyone's names and the working conditions didn't differ from any well managed and maintained manufacturing companies I have visited in the USA.

Basically, what I'm saying is, each company is going to be different, but the larger the volume of clothing (think Forever21, H&M, Zara) then the working conditions could be questionable. Poor working conditions isn't just an overseas problem either, there are several Made in USA companies that don't pay their workers fair wages and have horrible working conditions.

I'm really happy more and more people are becoming conscious about where their clothes are made. I started selling vintage clothing online back in 2004 and I always say the best way to be ethically fashion conscious is to wear vintage and also choose clothing you will get a lot of wear of (classic silhouettes and prints and colors) that way you're not always buying new clothes.

I can completely understand if you choose not to purchase from my shop if your conscience feels conflicted, though I'd like to add if you do decide to purchase something from mypiggywiggy you are supporting a small woman owned business (haha that's me) and I donate 10% of my monthly sales to DonorsChoose.org, TumainiInternational.org, and RefugeeCareCollective.org.... I hardly talk about it on my website because I'm a little uncomfortable with marketing that involves philanthropy. Though, totally sounds like I'm pitching at you right now! I'm not :) just want you to know that a regular gal trying to make a simple living and trying to give back to the world in some small way exists behind the mypiggywiggy virtual shop doors.

Thank you for your email! This topic has actually been on my mind lately and I may do a blog post on it in my Shopkeeper Journal! It's important to think about and be aware of!"

- - - 

This was her response:

"Thank you so much for your thoughtful response! This was very helpful. :)" 

And she DID end up purchasing a dress from my shop. Yay!

One of the things I want to be really intentional about is defining the mypiggywiggy girl. I say girl because I feel she has a childlike wonder about her. That she never lost her love for the simple and beautiful things in this world and still delights in seeing rainbows, dewdrops on wildflowers, and heartily eats sugary desserts. Not that she is childish, there's a big difference. 

She's spirited too. She schemes and dreams. She goes after what she wants but will always extend a hand to help those around her. She believes that inherently all people are good. She's a romantic but would never lose her senses over a fella. She loves flowers. No, no...she adores them. 

In many ways I am the mypiggywiggy girl. But in so many more ways, I aspire to be her. 

I've been thinking a lot about this gal. What does she do for fun, what sort of music does she listen to, what is her ideal Sunday like? In a big way, I want her to be my best friend. 

It is an odd thing to start a company and create a brand and start seeing the brand grow outside of you. I don't know if that will make sense to you. But for the longest time mypiggywiggy was based on things I liked then I started to notice AV became it's own thing. People from outside my world started defining who she was because they could relate to her. 

Then all of a sudden I felt like I was looking at a stranger. Like we were friends in high school, then lead separate lives for several years (but kind of kept in touch), then our worlds collided again but I knew something was different.

And it isn't a bad thing. Just something to notice. That the mypiggywiggy girl no longer is me because I have changed a lot as a person and my tastes in music (and even fashion) and interior design have changed from what inherently is mypiggywiggy.

Of course, this is all OK. But now it's getting to know my dear friend again. And that pressure is gone to try and recreate what we once had...when we were just one and the same.

Is this post totally freaking you out? Haha, well... this is just a peek at the inner workings of my mind and how I think of "my work." mypiggywiggy is so much more than just my job or just my shop. My heart and being is in it too which is why I care so very much about every aspect of her. I personify my shop because this shop is run by a person, one person (that's me! The one writing this).

Fast forward to 2012, I left my full time job in the fashion industry to chase a dream and as a "Hey, I'm YOUNG, I'm in my 20s, I can do ANYTHING" challenge. What followed soon after was a rapid rise into the vintage echelons. I was part of a new world meeting wonderful new people who all obsessed about vintage clothing as much as I did (and in some cases, more than I did).

The rate I was learning all about my new industry could make your head spin! The amount of things I had to learn (and still need to learn) was so exciting! Everything was so new! I went through several painstaking hours mending, sewing, cleaning, and washing vintage all to follow it up with more hours of photographing, editing, then completing orders. So many aspects of the business are physically laborious, but I didn't care! I was (and still am, don't get me wrong) so in love with what I was doing.

Then something happened. Things started to change. I can't pinpoint the exact date or the exact event. Maybe it was a series of little things. And very slowly, selling vintage clothing online became a J-O-B. It became more stressful instead of fulfilling. 

For nearly a year I went back and forth and back and forth about what to do with my vintage shop, my pretty little corner of the word. Could I really sell vintage clothing until I retired? Is this what I see myself doing for the next 5 years? I started asking myself some tougher questions. 

And sometimes I didn't like my answers. And I would convince myself I was wrong, OF COURSE I could sell vintage forever and ever and ever!

But there was this little voice...and the voice wasn't saying I couldn't. But rather, I didn't want to. 

You see, before I really started selling vintage clothing, I really just wanted to sell pretty things. I wanted to have my own shop. Be my own boss. I actually applied for job(s) - yes, plural! - at Anthropologie because I just wanted to be around things I found lovely and that spoke to my aesthetics and taste. I never got hired. *sad face*

I mean, that was YEARS ago. That was even before my fashion job. My short stint in the fashion industry actually opened up my eyes, like A LOT, to what the fashion industry was all about. I think when you've had the real behind the scenes look of things like I did, it makes you realize things are not always what they seem when it comes to brands and clothing labels. 

Working in fashion also introduced me to a lot of independent clothing manufacturers. But, at the time, I was SUPER GUNG HO about vintage. I didn't want to sell vintage inspired clothes or modern fashion! No way Jose! I was a VINTAGE GIRL! I did store my contacts away for later though... (See, I obviously knew eventually I'd need them!)

Sure, I tried selling vintage inspired clothing here and there. And surprise, surprise. Things sold like hot cakes! I was getting so much positive feedback from my loyal and growing customer base. 

So I'd get these emails and Instagram DMs and instead of running with it and continuing with selling vintage inspired WHILE also selling vintage, I was like "JK GUYS! I only wanted to do a few things like that!" 

Poor business decision? Probably. 

OK... this letter is so long. I know. And really, I'm typing this out like I talk. I think it is important for me to remain authentic through all these changes. 

So, anyhow... the big question was "Where do you see yourself a year from now?" I kept asking myself this. And over and over again my answer wasn't "Selling vintage clothing!" 

I saw myself being MORE than. I saw mypiggywiggy adapting, growing, and changing. And I saw a lot of floral prints, and blush, and lace. I mostly saw it being pretty. And pretty for MORE than just one woman. In one size. In one color. In one style. 

I saw mypiggywiggy as a community of like minded women. Feminine and a feminist. Romantic. Modern thinking but respectful of and honors the past. Inclusive, kind, generous.  In my mind, mypiggywiggy COULD be and SHOULD be more. 

In closing... Welcome to the new mypiggywiggy. I am so, so, so thrilled you're here and coming along for the ride!