Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Myers
Hi Julie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My love for fashion started at a young age. My mother would take me shopping with her as a young girl from as far back as I could remember. I would pull sweaters off shelves and re fold them as my mom would shop and try on clothes. The sales associates loved me! As I journeyed through college and began my search for “my why”. I knew that fashion would always find it’s place somewhere in my future. As I entered the work force, eager and ready to start my girl boss era, I worked my corporate job Monday – Friday and worked as a stylist at Club Monaco on the weekends. I worked with Club Monaco for 6 years while simultaneously working my career 9-5 and realized that I looked forward to going to work on Saturday more than Monday. I knew then that I needed to find a way to make this profitable and my career.
This epiphany lead me to join the management team at fab’rik. I knew that I wanted to own my own boutique and build my own empire, but as a self admitted obsessive compulsive and control freak, I had to know all the ins and outs of the business before taking the leap. I managed the Buckhead location for a little over a year, became a sponge and soaked in every bit of information and process that I could. I wanted to learn it all… and I did. In November of 2014, I opened my first location at the Summit in Birmingham, Alabama. I had a full circle moment of owning a boutique where I once shopped with my mother and dreamed of owning a store. The drives back and forth from Atlanta to Birmingham were LONG and the hustle was HARD, I don’t remember taking a vacation or even having a day off those first few years, but it paid off. In August of 2016, I was able to open my second location at Vinings Jubilee in Vinings, Georgia.
After 5 challenging years of commuting between Atlanta and Birmingham, managing two stores, and struggling to balance time with my husband, family, and friends, I decided to sell my Birmingham location and concentrate on my store locally in Vinings. It was a bittersweet decision, but one that was crucial for my well-being and quality of life. We recently celebrated 8 years with my Vinings store, and I couldn’t be prouder. The store feels like a second home to me, and I’ve poured my heart and soul into the business, supported by my incredible team and our amazing customers. We’ve weathered some tough, tough times together, including a pandemic, and have come out stronger on the other side.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think the word smooth has ever been used in relation to entrepreneurship. The road has been anything… but smooth. We opened in a market that previously had not succeeded, we made it through a pandemic and most recently, are in a post pandemic era that has seen a surge in online shopping while we are a brick and mortar location, soooo not exactly smooth. Challenges are everywhere, but that comes with the territory. Entrepreneurship is HARD and a big risk, but with that risk is great reward. I think you have to be flexible, tackle the challenges and move on to the next. Nothing is permanent in business, the good or the bad.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a women’s clothing boutique that specializes in trendy, affordable clothing and accessories. Our styles and price point are accessible and a perfect match for items that you love, but don’t want to spend a fortune procuring. Our inventory changes weekly with new styles arriving daily.
We proudly support our non profit organization Free fab’rik which hosts free sprees for women in need, where they can experience the thrill of boutique shopping without the pressure of price tags.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As a child, I was always fascinated by fashion. I reveled in the creativity of it and was constantly eager to learn about designers, trends, and everything related to the industry. My intense passion for organization and tidiness, which might have seemed excessive at the time, has proven to be a valuable asset. I still remember styling my outfits and meticulously arranging my closet in middle school. I dreamed of having a wardrobe and closest like Cher’s from Clueless. I feel like my destiny was always meant to be in fashion and entrepreneurship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fabrikstyle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabrikvinings/
- Other: Email: vinings@fabrikstyle.com
Image Credits
Olivia Ford Photography
