We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Baily Rich a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Baily, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Before I started Baily’s, I was working as a GM for a local boutique and leading up to that I had worked in almost every facet of the retail space. I had decided it was time to take the leap and open my own boutique when COVID hit. I felt committed to my decision to start my business, but I knew I had to be creative in my approach considering what was happening in our country at the time. I also know that Women are busy! While COVID was a challenge, it was also a challenge for so many of my friends to get out and shop for themselves in between working and raising a family. I had heard of boutique trucks but never seen one in our area so I started crunching the numbers and doing the research. Building out a boutique truck seemed to solve both of the issues I was trying to face, working around the restrictions of COVID and bringing the shopping to busy Women in my community. Within a month I had found a used Chevy P30 StepVan on Craigslist and brought in home! My boyfriend and I gutted the truck and transformed it in what you see today. My soft opening was 8 months after I bought the truck at my home and the response was overwhelming! Friends, neighbors and community members were so excited about this unique concept, and I have been rolling the boutique truck all over the Triangle area ever since. Today, you can find us at festivals, markets, neighborhood events, charities, private parties, and wherever Women want to shop!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Baily Rich and I am the owner and operator of Baily’s. A Rolling Boutique. After spending most of my life working in many different facets of retail, I decided to open my own business and Baily’s was born. Baily’s is a Women’s boutique on wheels carrying a curated and affordable collection of Women’s clothing and accessories. While I also sell online, I do not have a brick-and-mortar store. My truck is my store! Baily’s brings the shopping right to your doorstep and helps busy Women in the community look and feel their best without having to rush from store to store shopping for the perfect outfit. Friends and customers love shopping the truck because it is always a unique and exciting shopping experience, and I pride myself on carrying styles and brands not seen anywhere else in our area. The boutique truck is a unique concept to this area, and I love having the flexibility to bring the boutique right to my customer’s doorstep. I am most proud of the fact that my boyfriend and I built out the truck ourselves. It feels like stepping into a boutique and not a truck! The truck is equipped with a AC/heat unit, a cashwrap, a fitting room, and we carry new arrivals weekly. Recently, we have started offering mobile business build out services to other makers and small businesses in the community, and we are excited to help others realize the potential of a mobile storefront.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Opening a boutique truck instead of a storefront was a huge pivot in my business! Before COVID hit, I had a physical storefront picked out and I was working with a designer and architect on the build out process. As the world started shutting down and businesses around me were closing, I realized it was not the right time to pour my savings into opening a brick-and-mortar store and I had to make a quick pivot. I had already given notice at the boutique where I was working and I had my business plan in place, but I had to be creative in order to move forward. I started by doing a lot of research! I started to google cost of operation, where mobile boutique owners went to sell, if permits were required, and what the build-out of a boutique on wheels looked like. Luckily, my boyfriend is in construction, and he was able to help me price the materials and cost needed to create my vision. I knew a boutique truck would be a unique concept to our area, so I decided to take a chance and shop for a used truck to build my storefront in. This major pivot allowed me to move forward with my business and open my mobile boutique. The concept has been so well received and successful, that I have continued in that truck for almost 5 years!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for me is word of mouth. When a customer comes in the truck to shop and has an amazing experience, they are likely to tell their friends! Also, when they wear the clothes they bought from the truck and get compliments and questions on where they bought the pieces, they will share about my business. Customer experience is so important to me, and I want every customer that comes in to enjoy their shopping experience whether it is their first time shopping with us, or they are a regular customer. Instagram has also been a good source of new customers. I try and stay active on the platform and post new arrivals regularly. I often have new customers find me on Instagram and become regulars!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopbailys.com
- Instagram: @shopbailys
