A LO|CAL Interview

A interview with the women owned business the LO|CAL Market

In Harrisonburg, we have many thrift stores and local markets for everyone to explore. A few examples are the Agora shops, Lady Jane, and the LO|CAL Market. I learned that the LO|CAL Market is run and owned by a woman who grew up pretty close to the town of Harrisonburg over in New Market, Virginia. She worked hard, with the support of her close family and friends to get business off the ground running. 

Ashley, the owner of the LO|CAL Market allowed me the chance to interview her and get to know more about her business. You could see that all the clothes and other items are displayed nicely but also in an appealing way. This showed me she knew how to keep her business space well organized from when you first walk-in. When starting our interview or what I would call more like a friendly chat since it was pretty casual, my first question was what got her into thrifting and resale, since this was her businesses main focus. She replied, “My mother has owned a flea market of her own for over twenty years now in New Market, Virginia, and in high school, I would give her my old clothes to sell there,” so it shows how long she has been thrifting for. This is where she got the idea to go into fashion and merchandising for a major in her future college endeavors. 

When deciding where to go to college, she had said to me, “East Carolina University and Virginia Tech were the only two colleges at the time that offered a Merchandising and Fashion degree,” this is when she chose East Carolina University. After she obtained her degree, she went to New York City, hoping for a job in the fashion industry but ended up not working out. This is when she moved back to Harrisonburg where she stayed because she felt comfortable. She first thought about doing a boutique but believed it was too costly and about nine years later she was married, had a hand me down store that was her own. 

I later asked, “How did you navigate or learn what you know to better run your business?” since there are many steps. She said, “I worked at Old Navy where I mainly helped with designing displays which later helped me with designing my own store front,” it is her degree plus past experience that got her where she is today. She also mentioned the pros and cons of running a business such as, “I like talking and working for myself. I would say it is my favorite part, but relying on sales or social media would be my least favorite part,” she still has learned to navigate it all. She also told me, “I have fifty percent of my customers returning every week, word of mouth helps spread my business around as well,” this consistency and support has helped her business survive.

In interviewing Ashley, it made me realize that women can and are capable of what they set their minds to. Whether this is being a mom, obtaining a degree, or running their own business for example. They are able to persevere despite the hardships that they face and even if it takes a long time to reach their ultimate goal. It makes them feel stronger and empowered for whatever is next to come, now or in the future.