We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexandra Gerros. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexandra below.
Alexandra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
Yes, I agree we tend to overlook risks and sometimes to get yourself out of a pattern, you have to undertake a risk so big that it forces you to figure out how to get through it and adapt. My life as a business owner began in Brooklyn, New York in 2014. I was 35 years old and purchased an existing consignment shop close to where I lived in the beautiful neighborhood of South Brooklyn. An area that never experienced rapid change like the trendy areas of Brooklyn had over the years. It is steady and holds its exterior of large homes on a hill by the bay.
At the end of 3rd avenue presents the Verrazzano bridge marking where the river meets the open sea. It connects Staten Island to a winding highway that leads back into New Jersey. My 650 square foot shop on 3rd Avenue had old school charm. It came with two kinds of clients, those who came to shop and those who sold their high-end fashion and accessories with me on consignment.
As I settled into my new lifestyle as a boutique owner, after a decade of managing other small businesses, I began witnessing the high-end resale industry change from an obscured area of retail (almost entirely of small businesses) into a commercialized industry. The shift was being led by a multi-city corporation. Suddenly people were bombarded with advertisements about selling their high-end accessories and fashion online with this reseller who presented thousands of items for sale on their website. In my shop, sales on designer handbags (the most lucrative category) decreased by over 25% in one year.
However, I depended on loyal clients who sold their items with me because they preferred to be a part of my business’s success. I worked with some amazing people who felt like business partners. Together we sold tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise in the circular economy of resale. I once had a consignment client who was a family member of a late philanthropist. A staff person from the 5th avenue estate visited my shop and got me an appointment to sell the ‘leftovers’ that the large online reseller had passed on. They didn’t have the expertise to authenticate the early Chanel bags that were left on the table, or the understated Hermes canvas tote and the numerous vintage Balenciaga, but I did. I sold all of it to my clients.
These relationships inspired me because they showed me how much people value local small businesses. Community was a part of their health and happiness. It was a moment I saw the importance of communicating your business intentions through your brand and gaining attentive customers who shared the same values. In return, my shop received numerous online reviews with a 5 out of 5 star overall rating. No other consignment shop in the New York City area had this rapport with the public.
Six years into owning my business, the pandemic occurred. New York City and the surrounding boroughs experienced so much loss. Those of us who stayed in the area endured a sadness that can’t be explained unless you were there. In mileage the city is small but the population is jam packed with people. Even before the pandemic, the infrastructure and foundation of this great city was in many places, condemned and frail. It was a turning point for me as a single woman and business owner who saw this future rebuild as a long battle I decided not to take on.
My solution was to proceed with a more calculated risk, a big one. When I moved to San Antonio I planned to reopen my business after first rebranding the company into my vision. I saw where to make improvements, expanding on resale to include men’s fashion, homewares, vintage items and to fully embrace a sustainable business model by offering new merchandise that was made domestically and locally.
The risk wasn’t just investing in the renovations of a commercial space, it was also heading a business launch on my own in an area that is currently seeing a lot of development. My new shop is located on the Broadway Street block stretch that in the past was an area of business-to-business companies, now slowly evolving into coffee shops, boutiques, local breweries and even a food hall. It is in the north Riverwalk area of downtown San Antonio. Traffic zooms by with the exception of the construction beneath Broadway to maintain the new high rises and residential buildings in the area.
In the past 2 years I did things I never dreamed of doing; overseeing contractors, architects, leasing agents. I spent so much money I thought it would never end. When the build came to completion, I got to work with my brothers who made all of my beautiful store fixtures from drop materials and reclaimed pine from their business in Syracuse, New York. They understood my business plan and refined the finishing touches to my vision in real life.
My store front is ceiling to floor windows and the newly built CPS Energy building is hovering in the sky looking down on me. The Thompson hotel, mingled within the clouds, shimmers off specks of sunlight from its windows and rooftop a street further down. Inside of my shop I present all the merchandise on clean white shelves and clothing racks with the same angular molding at the top. I always choose white as a backdrop on resale merchandise because I feel it gives it new life. The bases of the fixtures share the same slatted, reclaimed pine and the unfinished wood grain gives the space warmth, grounding the structures and white walls.
The opening of my shop Maxiss Modern was an undertaking that many people still tell me today is too big a risk. It is a start up, it is in an area that is not yet fully developed. It continues to show me where I need to improve my business skills and where to make personal improvements like productivity and stress management. It is a risk that is forcing me to undergo growth and cultivation.
In order to be successful with something I’ve never done before I have to keep consistent with learning. Whether it be reading books on branding, business strategy or taking a course on public relations, sometimes I revisit a program to troubleshoot where I hadn’t connected the dots before. I follow my business plan and core values. I don’t give up on creating an atmosphere to do what I love most. Most importantly remembering to take a moment to connect with clients each time they explore the shop and express their excitement of our arrival.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Sure thing, I have an art degree from Purchase College of New York. Aside from learning creative skills it taught me how problem solving requires you to analyze yourself and incorporate positive critiquing among your peers and mentors. I carried this throughout my employment of small business retail management for over a decade. I worked in various industries of New York City like the garment district for fashion production, the diamond district for jewelry production and even in the home decorating district at the Manhattan Art and Antique center as a textile restorationist. 
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I think the lesson I had to unlearn is that business debt is not a healthy part of a successful business. There is a misconception that money flowing out is always negative. When it depends how you manage it and when done properly, a large amount of debt is integral to growth and bringing a vision to life. While I think timing and experience is important, the most challenging part for me is keeping a positive mindset that will allow me to be productive and not succumb to mental blocks or fear about the unknown. Everyday requires active participation and moving yourself and business forward no matter what. I found Donald Miller’s writing was helpful for me to define the fundamentals of my business, see Marketing Made Simple and Business Made Simple.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
One of my favorite sales stories comes from being a resale business. While this type of business model can be complex if you incorporate a consignment aspect, the number of sources for merchandise can be endless! Before moving my business to San Antonio, I had to build enough revenue to pay for my moving expenses. I met a person who owned a few clothing drop boxes who would then sell the materials to fabric recycling plants overseas. They had been contacted by an international designer label who amassed all their returns from Bloomingdales and high-end boutiques in the area and wanted to sell the damaged goods to be recycled.
I was given the opportunity to go through the merchandise, pick the ones I wanted and they would sell it to me with an agreed upon cost per item. They dropped the merchandise off in large trash bags and with help from a friend, we began sorting them into piles of items that can be fixed and items beyond repair.
I ended up with over 300 pieces of designer clothes and accessories that were beautiful and only needed to have a button replaced, seam resewn or dry cleaned to be resold on the sales floor again. I spent many hours spot cleaning hand sewing, but the time spent was worth it. I sold the entire inventory with a very high profit margin, while still providing a huge discount from the original price tags.
This sale was really fun for everyone and a huge success for raising the funds for my moving expenses!
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.maxissmodern.com
- Instagram: @maxiss.modern
- Facebook: Maxiss.modern
- Other: Location: Maxiss Modern 614A Broadway St San Antonio, Texas 78215 Store hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am-2pm