Community Highlights: Meet Brooke Wright of Dear Connie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Wright.

Hi Brooke, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Back in the early 2000s, my mom, Connie, and I shared a love for hunting down antiques and vintage treasures. We filled our homes with our finds, and when we ran out of room but didn’t want to give up the thrill of the hunt, we opened a small booth at a local antique mall. What started as a hobby turned into a multi year mother daughter antique business. It was such a blast.

As much as I loved it, life eventually pulled me in a different direction. While Connie continued building her business as a dealer, I focused on growing my corporate career.

After starting out in marketing agencies working with Fortune 100 companies, I saw firsthand how difficult it can be to drive an idea or create meaningful change within a large organization. In 2015, I ventured out on my own to see if I could help solve that problem. Then in 2018, I joined forces with two partners to launch a consulting firm focused on change management and employee communications. For seven years, I poured everything I had into building a fast growing business.

During that same time, my mom fought a five year battle with cancer. We lost her in 2022.

That moment changed everything.

The things that once felt important didn’t seem to matter nearly as much anymore. It forced me to confront just how fragile life can be. Looking back, I can see that I had used work and achievement as a way to stay busy, and eventually the grief and trauma of losing someone so close caught up with me. By 2024, I found myself in a very dark place and knew I needed help. I spent 30 days in a residential mental health program and began the hard work of healing.

When I came out the other side, I knew I needed to make a major life change. I sold my shares in the business and committed to a new path. Not because the old path was bad, but because it was no longer serving who I was becoming.

A few months after my exit, I found myself thinking often about those early days of dealing antiques with my mom. Over the years, she had taught me so much, and my passion for the hunt had never gone away. I knew I wanted to give it another try, but Connie had been such a pivotal part of the journey that she had to be part of this chapter too.

That’s when Dear Connie was born.

It’s a tribute to the daily conversations I still have with her while driving back roads, hunting for the next piece, discovering a hidden treasure, and creating a space where others can find beauty in things from the past.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There is no doubt it’s been a winding road. Honestly, I think that’s true for anyone starting a business, whether it’s consulting, retail, or something entirely different. Building a business is unlike anything else in life. You’re constantly learning as you go, making mistakes, pivoting, trying new things, and figuring things out in real time.

While it can feel like a constant series of ups and downs, it doesn’t take away the pride you feel when you see an idea come to life. Even the small wins feel meaningful when you’ve built something from the ground up.

Going from a service-based consulting business to retail has been a bigger learning curve than I expected. Inventory management, sales cycles, sourcing, merchandising, building an audience online… phew. I’m learning something new every day.

But honestly, the learning and figuring it out is part of the fun. Most days.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dear Connie ?
Dear Connie is an antiques and home brand built around the idea that our homes should tell a story. I’ve always loved filling my home with antique and vintage pieces that have character and history, and opening the shop gave me a way to share that passion with others.

My style is eclectic, and I believe the best homes feel personal. When someone walks into my home, I want them to immediately feel like they know me. I want the same thing to be true when someone walks into Dear Connie.

What sets the shop apart is that every piece has been personally selected by me. I spend countless hours on the road visiting estate sales, auctions, antique stores, and hidden gems throughout the Southeast searching for unique finds. If I wouldn’t put it in my own home, I don’t buy it.

The shop itself is located alongside Willow Park Boutique, a longtime staple in our community. Owner Blakely Whitehead and I went to Walton High School together, and when I was looking for a home for Dear Connie, she invited me into an adjoining space connected to Willow Park. While we’re separate businesses, we’ve created a connected shopping experience where customers can discover beautiful things for both their home and their closet.

One of the most rewarding parts of this journey so far has been the customers who have found the shop and continue to come back excited to see the latest finds. Nothing makes me more excited than seeing someone find a piece they connect with and are excited to bring home.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Like most industries, the antiques business has seen a huge shift online over the last decade. Online sales are incredibly important and will continue to be a critical part of the industry. That said, my gut tells me people are also craving unique, in person shopping experiences more than ever.

I had a customer recently tell me that while she can see something online and like it, she doesn’t know if she truly connects with it until she sees it in person. I think that’s especially true when it comes to antiques and vintage pieces. You’re not just buying an object. You’re buying something with history and character. There is an emotional connection that happens when you see a piece in person, touch it, and imagine it in your home.

Over the next 5 to 10 years, I think the businesses that will thrive are the ones that can do both well. Use online platforms to reach people while also creating memorable, in-person experiences that can’t be replicated through a screen. At the end of the day, antiques are personal, and I don’t think technology will ever fully replace that feeling of discovering a piece you instantly fall in love with.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearconnieantiques/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587150284393