Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Branch.
Hi Alicia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My best friend and I, Brittany Woodall, came up with the idea of opening our own boutique way back in the summer of 2006. The idea came from our shared love of fashion and creating our own style. We both love to thrift and enjoy finding hidden gems and new designers. So it only seemed right we open a store with curated pieces for other fashion savvy people like us. We came up with the name Ordinary Jane, which is a slight play on the phrase Jane Doe, offering a blank canvas for anyone to fill in. The term Ordinary then makes it of the norm. It’s something everyone does without thinking, it’s ordinary. We want to tie that meaning with being so authentically you that it’s ordinary. Freely expressing yourself through fashion, art, and culture you become an Ordinary Jane.
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?
Starting a business is never really a smooth road. Like many other people, we have faced many challenges and setbacks, hence it taking so long to officially get started. The main challenge is honestly just life. Between college, growing families, and financial hardships. Getting started took quite some time. Then there’s the personal challenge of facing your fears and releasing perfection. For awhile we held ourselves back just from fear of things not being perfect. We so badly wanted to see our vision come to life that we didnt offer room for flexibility or growth. Often times, when starting a business, you just have to start. Don’t over think. Don’t stress perfection. Get your ducks in order yes. But just start! You have to give yourself room to grow into the bad ass business you know that you are. Things are going to change so much as time goes by and you have new ideas. Don’t cling to any one thing. We had to learn that flexibility and room to breath is key.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Ordinarily Jane is a lifestyle boutique merging fashion, art, and culture. We offer a curated selection of vintage and consignment items as well as new brands and designers. Our goal is to encourage self expression throught authenticity and style.
At this current moment we a based online and attend events as vendors. We are currently looking for our first pop-up location to offer an in-store experience. We are most proud of our ability to encourage everyone to be the best versions of themselves. Releasing the need to consume based on brand name and hype, and truly honoring your own creative eye.
What’s next?
As mentioned before, we are currently looking for our first brick and mortar pop-up location. We have received amazing feedback from our vendor booth experiences and want to expand on that and offer the opportunity to shop with us in person for more than just a day. We are also currently updating the website and looking for up and coming designers and brands to feature.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Ordinaryj.com
- Instagram: @Ordinary.j_
