Life & Work with Tori Frericks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tori Frericks.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I came to retail through a very circuitous route, having gone to school for theology and working as a chaplain, starting a few online businesses and then becoming a pregnancy consultant, all while being a full time “stay at home” mom of three. My husband and I had lived in 5 cities in the first 7 years of our marriage and came to Atlanta only 3 years ago. Because of the unpredictability of his job location I was unable to truly pursue my dream of owning my own store. And while I have always dabbled in doing online businesses, I knew ultimately I needed to be with people, not behind a computer.

I have always had a love for fashion, as many do, but mostly wanted to find a way to bring women together in a manner that promoted supporting one another rather than being in competition with one another. The concept of opening a brick and mortar store that not only sold brands that were not typically in retail but also functioned as a gathering space for connecting women came to me during a vacation in 2021. I knew that I wanted to find a way to bring female founded brands from all over the country to Atlanta in a way that told not only their story, but the story of fashion and how it is changing. I had a very clear vision of how I wanted the store to make people feel when they walked in: light, open, organic and welcoming. I abhor clutter, at my own home, but also in stores and because my model is consignment I had the luxury of not overstocking, allowing the focus to go directly to each brand that I curated.

I came into this with zero retail experience or knowledge of what it takes to run a POS and online store. I learned a little each and everyday, while trying to do as much of the hard labor in building out the store by myself in order to be as cost-effective as possible. I quite literally built every table, lugged in every piece and installed every fixture in the store. Amazon, Google & Shopify are my everything at this point! I am proud of what I have put together but also always looking for how it can improve and bring both the customer and the brands a new experience.

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 have been so many challenges in opening a business. Trying to get your concept across to brands and convince them that partnering with us will not only be fun and unique, but also lucrative for them can be a challenge. Thankfully, the brands that have taken a risk with us have been pleasantly surprised and many, if not most, are shocked by the sales in such a short amount of time.

I have to say though, finding sales associates and employees has been the hardest aspect by far. I am still very much running the business by myself 6 days a week.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think one of the things that I am best at is execution. I may fumble around in the process and have many doubts about whether I will pull things off, but historically I seem to have the ability to pull through. That’s not to say it doesn’t often come at a cost, typically in time with my family and general sleepless nights filled with worry and anxiety. I am an extrovert by nature and have always craved being around people, something that being a stay at home mom did not provide me. Seeing the space come to life and watching it fill with women gathering to support one another, learn about an industry or topic, or just find a new brand that they absolutely love has brought me such joy. It feels as though this is what I have been meant to do. I do however think that this concept will continue to evolve and may not look exactly the same in a few years from now. That’s the fun of it!

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Funny enough, I truly loved to shop with my mom. We had our boutiques we would visit monthly and I would try on almost everything in the store. A guilty pleasure for us I guess, but it also made me appreciate fashion and appreciate buying things that were meant to last a lifetime. Some of those pieces from my teenage years I STILL have today!

Pricing:

• Most items are from $25-$400
• High-End Luxury Designer Ivy Kirk is $1300-2500

Contact Info:

• Email: info@thelandinglab.com
• Website: thelandinglab.com
• Instagram: @thelandinglab
• Facebook: The Landing Lab