Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Kruit.
Hi Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 2019 I took my love for vintage clothing and the heaps of art projects I had sitting around the house and started Bumble Boutique out of a cargo trailer with absolutely no idea I’d own a brick and mortar one day! For four years, while still working my day job, I towed my “dream on wheels” from curb to curb, market to market. At that point I was simply filling my creative cup and searching for connection within the artistic community of Eugene. Little did I know that I was actually building the foundation for something bigger; a beautiful storefront on 5th street and the next chapter of my life. But this didn’t happen overnight.
After spending years seeking out security by way of a college degree and a conventional career, I had developed chronic body pain and an unshakable feeling that I was meant to take another path. The pull on my heart to spread my entrepreneurial wings and fuel my creative fire eventually won. I quit my job in the medical field to pursue a life that felt truly aligned. On April 1st 2023, I opened the storefront located at 233 W 5th Ave! It was a huge leap of faith but God led the way.
Doing this work is a constant reminder of who I am and where I came from. Being born into financial scarcity blessed me with a keen eye and a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude. I was raised by a single mom who showed me how a life of hand-me-downs, garage sales, mending, and resourcefulness could be fun!
Time and time again I am assured that this is what Im supposed to be doing. It’s hard work and can push me to my limits but it’s work that I feel good about. My favorite part of this business is that it I get to help people explore self-expression while preserving gorgeous pieces of history! Every day is a surprise and I’m constantly learning.
Ultimately, it’s not a me- thing, it’s a we-thing; this community is making (slow) fashion history! Has there ever been a time like this?! The admiration and pursuit of vintage is a force to be reckoned with. Together, we are keeping garments in circulation, we are expressing ourselves, we are educating ourselves, we are supporting small businesses… and we’re having fun while doing it!!
Bumble Boutique is not just about “vintage clothes”, its about slowing down, resilience, looking at things with a creative eye and keep community at the center of it all!
So now when I’m asked what my story is, I gladly reply that it is one about flowing with my inner-child while going against the grain.
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?
Making the big leap to leave my previous career was one that I hesitated on for a very long time. It was such an emotional and scary decision, so I would say that was the hardest part. But once I had a decided heart to go forward with opening the storefront, the excitement set in and powered me through the difficult times ahead.
Getting the shop established has required so much of my energy and attention and quite literally kept me up at night so often in the first few years. The difference now is that while it’s challenging, it’s work that I enjoy. It feels like an ever-evolving art project! It keeps me on my toes.
The most demanding aspect of the business goes on behind the scenes. I spend a lot of time sourcing inventory since nothing is ordered online. Hand-picking every item to curate the selection people see in the shop requires following leads and physically searching for each garment. The treasure hunt takes time but the process is special; I get to connect with so many people, hear their stories, save garments from the landfill and honor numerous lives that lived in them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Before having a storefront I had a lot more time to make artwork. Once the clothing aspect of Bumble Boutique took over, a creative shift happened. Sure, I wasn’t making jewelry as often or painting pictures but I felt more creative than ever. Styling customers, arranging displays, photographing fresh finds; all of it requires an artistic eye.
I love when someone comes into the shop wanting help with styling and is open to trying on things a little out of their comfort zone.
Vintage shopping takes some level of know-how, it takes patience and a spark of imagination!
There’s a magic that happens when somebody tries something on they weren’t sure would work and it transforms how they see themselves!
Call it a skill, call it a pair of fresh eyes, call it what you will…. shopping doesn’t have to be a mundane, solo act of finding fabric to cover your body. It truly can be an imaginative, transformative shared experience! I’m grateful to be a part of that.
How do you define success?
Success is building an authentic life, being open to change and getting back up again when you get knocked down. To me, it is not a dollar mount or a certain number of check marks on a to-do list. It is not about being happy all of the time or having things go your way.
Success is holding on to that underlying current, that life force that propels you forward even when you are scared. It’s the opposite of stagnation.
Pricing:
- We have a wide range of price points throughout the shop
- We offer buy/sell/trade options for those wanting to sell us their vintage garments
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumbleboutique.eug
- Other: Google Page: Bumble Boutique Vintage
