We were lucky to catch up with Carolyn Baccaro recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Carolyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

We believe that you can create and sell clothing while remaining environmentally conscious, and so do the artists and makers we collaborate with. Unfortunately, the prevailing approach to thrive in the retail industry today is to acquire low-cost, mass-produced clothing and significantly increase the price. This is the standard model adopted by most major retailers (hello, Shein!). Given that the clothing industry generates an immense amount of waste, we are dedicated to championing makers who prioritize sustainability. Although we still sell select new clothing items, our store comprises over half vintage items and 25% handmade, sustainable clothing.

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?

Hyperbole is a brick-and-mortar shop supporting independent artists and emerging designers in Beacon, New York, just north of NYC.

We believe the best products on earth are the ones that make you feel good about shopping: made by real people, designed with purpose, and unique to your style. We carry an assortment of original artwork, thoughtfully designed clothing, and sustainably produced jewelry, emphasizing small-batch production with a one-of-a-kind vibe. Our mission is to curate a fun and accessible collection of artwork, clothing, and jewelry while connecting new, emerging artists with a larger audience.

It’s incredibly satisfying to curate our assortment and a privilege to introduce customers to a bevy of hard-working makers and play a small role in supporting their work.

After three years in business, we developed close personal relationships with many local artists who sell works in our shop. In partnership with these artists, we’ve recently expanded our business to include a new gallery for an artist-run initiative called Super Secret Projects. The gallery has allowed space for like-minded visual artists to collaborate and exhibit their work in a more formal gallery setting.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Hyperbole was started by two jewelry designers and friends, Andrea Podob and Carolyn Baccaro. When we first met, we each had separate shops in the same town and remarkably similar missions and mindsets. We admired one another’s shops and jewelry. We joined forces to create Hyperbole–a silly reference to our tendency towards millennial exaggerations (for example, our new SUPER store is the best on planet Earth!)

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

When COVID forced us to close our doors after just a few months in business, we had to make a DRAMATIC shift. We utilized this period to construct a Shopify store from the ground up. Implementing pick-up orders and offering free in-town delivery during those challenging times helped sustain us. As jewelry designers and writers, we were well-versed in crafting product descriptions and listings. While Etsy boasts several advantages – a pre-established audience, user-friendly interface, and straightforward management system – the substantial customer service demands and diminished profitability, largely due to global competition (once again, cheap manufacturing), rendered it less worthwhile. Shopify, for us, was the most flexible and scalable model.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hyperboleny.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hyperboleny/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HyperboleNewYork/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hyperbole-beacon

Image Credits
Shop and ring photo by us Dress photo and portrait by Autumn Jordan @atmnjrdn leather jacket by Elin Lundman @Superhappyghostco