Busienss Feature

Helloo all,

It's been a while since I've featured a business and I decided it was time. I decided that I didn't like asking the same questions of all those I interviewed so I'm working on changing it up (this one is still the same, oops!). This week I'm featuring a business that is really special to me. I'm from Phoenix and I've been shopping at buttertoast since I was a junior in high school. They have a fabulous vintage store and they are so sweet and dedicated. When I saw their store and heard their story I realized that the possibilities for business ownership really are endless. Here's what Jasmine had to say :)...


What is your name and where can we find you online (blog/twitter/website/etc)?

My name is Jasmine Jarrett and I am one half of Butter Toast Boutique and my business partner is Traci Nelson

www.ButterToastBoutique.com
www.etsy.com/shop/buttertoastboutique (coming soon)
www.etsy.com/shop/billiegoatvintage    (current online store)
www.twitter.com/ButterToastPHX

What do you do for a living?

Both Traci and I run the our local vintage clothing store Butter Toast Boutique, in downtown Phoenix AZ and the Etsy store currently under the name Billie Goat Vintage but we will soon be moving all of our online inventory under the Butter Toast name.

We ALSO have second jobs to supplement our income... I tend bar at a local neighborhood bar and Traci waits tables. We have been doing this for about 2 years now... its very tiring at times but we have no doubts BTB will be successful.


 
Have you always known that this is the career you wanted to have?  If not, tell me how you got into it.

No way... I can't speak for Traci but I have always had a million interests growing up... photography, writing, interior design and even a professional soccer player at one, young point in my life. BUT I can say, for quite some time I dreamed of having my own clothing store/cafe/music store/venue, (All in one, of course) and a small local magazine. Ha! BTB is something close to what I have wanted for more than a decade now.... so, really I guess you could say I have known for a bit.

How the store came to be is still a bit unreal for me..... A brief history.... Since my early teens and even younger actually, I have had an affinity for seeking out treasures.  So, naturally I fell in love with thrifting, which led to a love for everything vintage. A long while after the online vintage store boom, I decided to jump on the ebay train and I found Traci soon after when she started modeling for my online vintage store Billie Goat Vintage. Traci was always interested in fashion, so vintage quickly became a new love for her as well. A year or so later I approached Traci and asked her if she would like to collaborate on a small retail/working studio space in the downtown arts district and Ka-pow! Butter Toast Boutique!
 
Did you go to college to further your education in this field or did you gain your experience in another way?
Nope, its all been learn as you go so far, although at some point I would love to go back to school.
 
Do people generally support you or have you run into people who think you’re crazy to not have a “secure” desk job?
 
Haha, well people generally think I am crazy because of how much I work. I think more than anything people admire us for "going for it"
Traci and I have both put a lot of time, money and energy into what we are doing but we aren't special and we don't have anything that others don't, we are simply willing to put ourselves out there.

What is your favorite part about your career?
Definitely the shopping, searching, digging and the excitement of finding something amazing. And I enjoy the community the store has opened up for us... downtown Phoenix is still growing and we are happy to be contributing and helping shape the arts district.




Finally, do you have any advice to entrepreneurs or budding artists who want to make their craft/passion a career?
GO FOR IT! Put yourself out there and really commit to what you want create. (and get used to change.... nothing will ever work out as you planned)


I want to thank Jasmine for taking the time to answer my questions. If you live in the phoenix area I would definitely recommend stopping by the Butter Toast Boutique because it's absolutely wonderful. If you live far away, the online store is just as fabulous so don't worry :).

xo
Mal