We were lucky to catch up with Randy McDonald recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Randy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Honestly, this was not even on my radar. This started as an idea for my best friend who at the time was my hair stylist. He needed to find a new profession or have hand surgery. I always remarked to him that he should go into fashion and style people. So on one faithful afternoon while he was rolling a customers hair she asked him to find her a pair of boots. He did that weekend and brought them back to her. Next week a different customer wanted a pair…again he found her some. This trend continued until he had a jewelry case and a clothing rack and women running around with chemicals in their hair trying to shop!

I always told him I would help in anyway I could. I would drop by after work and be his cashier. On the weekends I would basically volunteer to help him get his business started. Well, fast forward some years and he is doing well and I lost my job. He offered me a position until I found another career. Boom 12 years later here I am owner of his business that he retired from and continuing the tradition.

Randy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Over the years I have learned to merge thrift and boutique. I learned many people don’t thrift not because they don’t enjoy it. It’s mainly because they can’t process the chaos. I simply applied organizational skills to a simple problem but it was effective. I’ve often been told that my store feels like love. To me that’s the most powerful statement a person can remark about your business. Those words struck a chord in me that I never knew existed.

I’m simple a small town guy from Mississippi who helps people find fun in their fashions. Everyone won’t have the same set of eyes as anyone else but the vision can come together using everyone’s perspective. I primarily specialize in vintage clothing but I try and have something for everyone.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think all businesses but especially small businesses learned the art of pivoting during the covid pandemic. I have a storefront and e-commerce presence but my online business was new to me. I had to learn hard and quick how to take my skills from a countertop to a computer. It was eye-opening and overwhelming but I figured it out. I’m thankful for it because it has shown me that the world is truly our oyster….so make a pearl or three!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

My customers often remark about my level of customer service. I value that service and I feel it’s somewhat of a dying art. People enjoy a smiling face, a kind hello, or even just a listening ear. I know that without every purchase(big or small) I would not exist. In my mind, you should always be thankful and grateful for anyone wanting to patronize you because they could have taken their business anywhere else but came to me!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: SillybillysLLC