Five days before opening, a sprinkler line broke and flooded the shop. Emily Schikora wasn’t phased- she opened her Ballard boutique Editor Consignment on schedule, without shoes. Having her own space was worth it, “this is my vision” she says “and it came to fruition.” She jokes “the experience cured me of being a perfectionist.” As an entrepreneur there are always unforeseen challenges, you “just do the best you can” and keep going.
Luckily Emily was prepared for some of those challenges thanks to attending Launch and Grow and working with Business Impact NW to realize her dream. A seven week class series that takes business ideas to reality in a collaborative, small group environment, Launch and Grow helped build Emily’s confidence that what she wanted to do was possible. She met people doing the same thing she was- taking a chance on their business ideas. No one was saying “this is crazy” or “maybe someday”, everyone was committed to making it happen.
Emily was no exception. She created a business plan and learned how to set manageable goals. Step by step she moved closer to her dream by starting with pop up shops and referrals from other women-owned businesses. Now, she’s got dozens of pop ups under her (very stylish) belt and relies on positive yelp reviews, ads, write ups in local blogs as well as her website and social media like Instagram and Facebook to attract customers to her very own storefront, online store and pop up shops.
Her inventory is carefully selected; a mix of vintage and contemporary pieces at mid-range prices as well as art objects and small-press books from new writers. Her boutique space is about “celebrating the feminine experience” and creating community. People visit and instantly say “I feel good in here”. Emily is “proud to be in this space that is fully mine and a representation of myself” that welcomes others to be fully themselves too. Inspired by treasure hunting and sustainability, consignment allows her to give new life to favorite pieces and including books lets her experience the joy of discovering new authors and talking about literature with customers on a daily basis. She originally planned to be a teacher; opening Editor Consignment is the perfect way to stay connected to writing while spending more time living a creative life.
You can check out Emily’s shop Wednesday – Sunday at 6706 15th Ave NW in Seattle, WA and online at https://www.editorconsign.com/shop/
