Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Kelly.
Hi Rachel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been a creative soul and have loved making things for as long as I can remember. I am the only person in my immediate family from Georgia and I love all things southern, peachy and with small town charm. I always found myself in some form of art at school, home and work. I gravitate towards homemade over store bought and love being a gift giver. So when I was old enough to buy craft supplies I knew I wanted to make all the gifts and cute home decor for my house. I worked in corporate jobs for a while and found my love for projects that involved team work, leading a team and always found a way to include creativity in whatever the job was. I started my small business journey making vinyl decals for my co-workers, friends and family. If I could put a decal on it- consider it done. Then I started making t-shirts and I knew it was time to give my little crafty side hustle a name. So, in 2016 The Peach Shoppe was born! I wanted a name that could grow me with and had ties to my Georgia roots. From 2016 to early 2020 I worked to grow my brand and get The Peach Shoppe name out in the community. When Covid happened, my job did not allow customers in the building and we were just working on the computer and handling transactions via phone. I took that opportunity to develop my business plan, start an LLC, reach out to boutique owners, and really refine what I wanted to do next. It was never the job I loved for all those years; it was the people I met along the way. I began making wholesale tshirts for other businesses, setting up at my friend’s businesses doing pop ups, and launched my website. January 2021, I took the leap and quit my 9-5 job to persue my dreams of running The Peach Shoppe full time. For the next two years I signed up for local markets, sold in multiple stores in the area, had wholesale clients, and worked really hard on my social medias. In 2023, I knew it was time to build a Georgia focused, local, handmade brick & mortar. My best friends and close family members were cheering me on all along the way I knew there was nothing stopping me! So, July 1, 2023 I opened The Peach Shoppe & Co. The Co is the community, the creative outlet and the collabrative. I wanted to create a place for other small businesses, artists and people in the community to be able to sell their handmade items together. The Peach Shoppe & Co is more than a Georgia gift shop; it is a story of believing in yourself and bringing people together! I want it to be a place where locals feel at home and visitors can’t wait to come back!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say “smooth” but it wasn’t as bumpy as it could have been because I have surrounded myself with a wonderful group of people that have helped me along the way. It is the hardest thing I have ever done but the most rewarding by far! Meeting new people, helping people I’ve known for years, and having such a strong group of people around me has been such an incredible ride. The biggest challenge I face is myself. I always worry I’m not doing enough. I am for sure the biggest obsicale. But I am learning with each new thing that I need to get out of my own way and take the risks. If they work out, awesome. If not, at least I’ve learned something along the way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for and absolutely love making tshirts. Tshirts are used as an everyday item, a special event, a fundraiser, a business promo and a small billboard on us! I love using my creativity and my voice on tshirts. You can say so much with what you wear and the words you promote. I love that shirt making has brought me all the way to where I am now. I now have a place that people can go to for a tshirt, still offer them online, still do markets but people can now also support multiple small businesses under one roof! I love bringing people together and being around like minded individuals. I am most proud of what this business has grown to be; from side hustle to a brick and mortar.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My support system is so strong! My husband, Brandon has always been in my corner and cheers so loud that I don’t notice when other people don’t. My mom, Tina has believed in me since day one. She has always encourgaged me to be myself and to go big. My niece, Abigail has been my right hand woman for markets, helps me run the shoppe and keeps me smiling each day. My best friends Josh and Eric are huge parts of this journey from the name of my business to many, many late nights of planning, tears and postive affirmations. I also have a huge group of entrepreneurs that uplift me daily. The Peach Shoppe & Co would not be the same without all of these people named and unnamed; it truly takes a village. I am so thankful to have this opportunity to give credit to where credit is due.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thepeachshoppe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepeachshoppeandco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepeachshoppeandco
