Our friend Rylie just opened a solo consignment shop! You can go visit and find killer deals at Rise Consignment at 108-1029 View Street.
What are your 3 big signs? (Sun, Moon, Rising)
Aquarius, Sagittarius, Sagittarius - Although I'm not 100% sure cause my mom doesn't know what time I was born, and I don't really get along with Sagittariuses so I struggle to believe it haha.
Where did you grow up?
Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. I like to say that I finally 'escaped' Alberta in 2021.
What were you like as a child?
I was extremely sensitive but also very loud. I would cry at the drop of a hat and take things really personally, but also loved to sing and host fashion shows for my family. I have always had an obsessive personality, so I went through a lot of phases, but most of them surrounded fashion or animals.
What did you do before owning a consignment shop?
Worked at a consignment shop. Haha. I worked at a small business in Calgary called The Clothing Bar for almost 5 years, and the owner Katie has been such a great mentor and inspiration for me. Before consignment though, I worked in radio for almost 5 years, too. My career goal was to be a radio host, until I got that job and kinda hated it. So here we are.
Why consignment?
I came onto consignment in kind of a roundabout way. I grew up pretty poor and was raised shopping at secondhand stores. I've always loved fashion and style, and was able to afford some fun stuff as a kid thanks to my budget-minded but shopaholic mother. I started working in retail in high school and kept falling back into it for part-time jobs when things were tough, so I have almost 15 years of customer service under my belt. After high school, I worked at an all-natural bath and body store that really pushed minimal waste and circularity. I really got on board with that mindset, and shopping secondhand just made so much more sense after that. Working at The Clothing Bar was definitely my biggest inspiration and push to do more with consignment, and here we are today! I think consignment is a great combination of a lot of my passions and ethos. It helps give back to the community, through sharing profits with consignors and donating extra items to deserving charities. It makes me erratically happy to dig through people's "old" stuff and ultimately my goal is to keep items out of the landfill for at least one more person's wear cycle.
What is your favorite piece of clothing you own? What is a staple(s) that folks should have in their closet?
My closet is full of tried and true staples. Prior to owning a consignment store, I think my wardrobe was more full of fun/unique one-off pieces, but I've fallen off that a bit. Shopping for other people all day kind of gives you shopping burnout for yourself. I'd love to get back to having more fun pieces in my closet, but I will always still reach for the same few pieces. Specifically, I have a vintage black floral summer midi dress that I wear almost too much. It's such an easy throw-on that looks put together and is also great for layering in the winter. I think everyone should have a favourite, well-fitting pair of jeans, and if you're a dress or skirt person, something like I described above that's super easy to throw on to easily feel confident and put together. Also, a statement jacket!
What has been the biggest struggle as an entrepreneur? Biggest struggles as a consignment business owner?
Everything is a struggle as an entrepreneur. No joke. It's all so hard! I don't know how I'm still doing it, to be honest. I don't have a business degree or even a background in business so I'm truly just winging it! For me, finances are the hardest so having a good accounting team is crucial. For me the biggest struggle as a consignment store owner is having to be up front in the storefront every day. As much as I love chatting to and interacting with customers, I'm a huge introvert so all of the micro-interactions usually take it out of me.
When you aren't busy running your biz, where can we find you?
On my couch with my laptop and my dog (and my bong.) I'm truly so introverted. I need so much time alone to recharge after each workday. If I'm not on the couch playing The Sims, I'm probably walking Winnie alone by the ocean and hoping to spot some orcas.
What is on your nightstand?
I literally do not have a nightstand.
My bedframe has a little cubby in it and I live in a cramped studio; the cubby is full of medications and chapsticks. Pretty boring tbh. Who are your favorite bands/musicians/songs?
I'm a 1D stan till I die! So I'm also a big fan of Harry Styles. But overall I have a pretty open taste in music, I'm always happy for recommendations, but I typically lean into folky stuff or indie rock. But I also love Kings of Leon.