Today we’d like to introduce you to Breelan Delesandri, Michele Parrack.
Hi Breelan Delesandri, Michele Parrack, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Michele & I met through our husbands who grew up very close. It wasn’t until a couple years in when Michele inherited her mother-in-laws flower shop that we became closer. My husband and I had just bought this building on the square when I called Michele and asked if she wanted to put her flower shop on the square and be a tenant in the building. So they came over for dinner and we began chatting and I mentioned really wanting to open a retail shop in Madisonville and immediately Michele was like YES this is a dream of mine but I don’t want to do it alone. So that same night we talked about the boutique, our vision and then discussed it with our husbands (who might we add are the biggest troopers) and they immediately said okay let’s do it. Our first year threw us a LOT of learning curves and there were many of times where we were like, “what are we doing” but to this day we have seriously had the absolute best time being in business together. Our families are super close, we know when to give and take and ultimately we just have each other’s backs no matter what. Our styles are very different but always compliment each other so it makes going to market so fun and seeing what the other will pick out!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The first year in business threw us MULTIPLE learning curves. We originally opened with a third partner and due to unforeseen circumstances our third partner had to get out so we had to overcome a lot of logistical obstacles that we did not foresee. We had to redo a lot of planning financially and with our brand that caused some major set backs in our first year. Another big curve which is honestly still something we are navigating is our customer base, their likes and dislikes. While you want to cater to your best buyers, you obviously can’t build a brand around that so finding things that will sell to the everyday shopper but also be eye catching to the random walk-ins is still a challenge. But it’s a FUN challenge.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a women’s retail shop located in the heart of downtown Madisonville. We are part of a unique building that contains 4 women owned businesses in one space which heightens the average individuals shopping experience overall. You can receive a blowout from the dry bar, grab some botox, a facial and a new outfit all in one place! Our goal is to bring unique styles to our hometown that are both affordable and also fashion forward. Shopping in a small town can be limiting, we aspire to be the place that can provide a quick yet timeless look whether it’s for something big or small. We carry everyday looks to wedding guest options and everything in between whether you’re a working girl looking for a pop of something special or you need a sporty athleisure look for your pickle ball date. Not only do we carry clothes, we carry shoes, jewelry, gif tables and one of a kind pieces for your home. We are both moms of 2 who love to use fashion as our creative outlet even if it just means dressing up for the pick-up line, we are here for it!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Before we ever opened our doors, we made sure our definition of success aligned above all else. Success to us means taking care of our employees, being able to give back in our small town and providing a happy shopping experience to our customers. The obvious answer to this is to be able to pay our bills and be profitable, that’s only the means; success is to use the means to keep the doors open so we can achieve all the rest!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sonobriele.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonobriele/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Sono-Briele-100089251463784/
Image Credits
The cover photo of the two of us was taken by Twinty Photography – the solo photos we did in store ourselves.
