August 19, 2024 • 36 mins
What if you could combine a passion for fashion with a commitment to community? Join us on Porch Parish as we sit down with Jessica, the remarkable entrepreneur behind Zachary's upcoming Best Co Boutique. From her early days as an LSU graduate in fashion merchandising to managing a Baton Rouge boutique and dabbling in real estate in Shreveport, Jessica's journey is filled with inspiring twists and turns. Listen in as she shares her vision of creating a boutique that caters to women 35 and up, offering stylish and high-quality pieces while balancing a busy family life with her husband Dr. Best, their three children, and their dog Max.
Jessica doesn't just want to sell clothes; she aims to make a difference. We discuss her innovative idea of donating a portion of the boutique's profits each quarter to local nonprofits or charities, with customer input on choosing the causes. This episode also delves into her dedication to multi-generational shopping experiences, avoiding trendy, age-specific items, and featuring beloved brands like Intro, Fate, TCEC, THML, Skyser Blue, and Cut from the Cloth. Jessica’s commitment to her community shines through, making her boutique a shopping destination with a purpose.
Navigating the wholesale market is no small feat, and Jessica offers a masterclass on how it's done. Drawing from her extensive retail experience, she shares strategies for managing market trips, from budgeting to planning showrooms visits. We get an inside look at the Atlanta market and the rigorous preparation involved in stocking up for new launches. We also introduce Best Co Boutique's exciting offerings, including exclusive brands and curvy sizes, all set to debut during the grand opening on Labor Day weekend. This episode is a treasure trove of passion, fashion insights, and community spirit—don't miss it!
God, doubt, and proof walk into a podcast... it goes better than you’d expect!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey everybody, this is Jessica with Best Co Boutique
.
Keep listening to Porch Parishthe podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
What's up, Zachary?
It's sunny and 100 plus, butwe're together.
Today we're excited tointroduce Jessica, the dynamic
entrepreneur behind thesoon-to-open Best Co Boutique.
Jessica's journey is aremarkable one.
She graduated from LSU with adegree in fashion merchandising,
dreaming of opening her ownboutique.
However, life took her througha variety of experiences, from
managing a boutique in BatonRouge to working in real estate
(00:33):
in Shreveport.
Her path eventually led her toZachary, where she and her
family have deeply rootedthemselves in our community.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Hey, jessica, hi, and hey, jen Hello it's Jen she
here from Fortune Parishco-hosting.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Welcome, jessica.
We are glad to have you Now.
Jessica is back with a visionto fill a unique niche in our
town.
Bestie Co Boutique will caterto women 35 and up, offering a
curated selection of highquality, stylish pieces that
stand out.
Today we'll dive into her story, the inspiration behind that
boutique and what she envisionsfor this new chapter in Zachary.
(01:07):
Stay tuned for an insightfulconversation about passion,
community and fashion.
You already know what we do.
We bring you the best ofZachary and the Baton Rouge
region through candyconversations every Monday from
our headquarters right here onVirginia Street.
This is Portion Parish, thepodcast.
Stay tuned, we'll be right backwith the lightning round.
We're back.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Okay, I have a question.
I want to kick off thislightning round by asking if you
, jessica, pronounce it niche orniche.
I say niche, niche, so you saidniche.
Yeah, all right, you know what?
However you say it just say itinto the microphone.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So you said niche.
Yeah, all right, you know what?
However you say it, just say itinto the microphone.
We're a little echoey, sorry,all right, okay, jessica.
Family and pets.
You want to shout out to any ofthem?
You said one or the other.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
No, oh, I thought we were just saying lightning, not
family or pets.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
You know what I thought you said lightning round
, so I was serious.
You have to save one.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
One gets struck by lightning.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Clearly my family, but you know it'd be a close
second.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
We're going to get a call from PETA after this.
Great Okay, shout out to thepets.
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Okay, tell us about.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Dr Best.
Okay, well, dr Best is myhusband.
We went to high school together.
We were from Baton Rouge.
We went to high school together, went to Parkview and we he is
OBGYN out here, he's been outhere.
We've been here for 14 years,coming up on 15 soon, and we
(02:43):
have three kids.
We have Isla, who's a freshman,and we have Rosie, who is sixth
grade, and JB, who is ourlittle caboose going up into
second grade.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Cool names.
Love that.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
They're all family names.
Actually, isla is ourgreat-grandmother, josh's great
Josh's grandmother's name, andthen Rosie is from my family,
like you know, generations back.
Yeah, andb is actually josh'sgrandfather's name.
He was.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
that's his given name , jb he was given initials, so
um his name.
That is next level.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
His name is actually joshua hayes, which is my maiden
name, and but we call him jbfor his grandfather, so yeah,
that's cute, cool, love that umall right oh, we have a dog max
not belong, not a lightningstrike, that's true, yeah, true
because I'll save
Speaker 2 (03:31):
the kids.
If there's any survivalsituation, dog's going um
actually our kids can.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Our kids can like run , so I'd probably grab max and
then tell them to hurry, follow,follow behind.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
See, the problem with our kids names is our older
kids, max and Lucy.
Everybody's dogs are named Maxor Lucy, so poor kids.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Ours is actually mustache, max.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Von Braun Best.
That's our dog's actual name,but Max is for short, cause
that's a mouthful.
It really is.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
We might have to start calling our our Max,
because he keeps trying to growthis.
He's 15 and he's like I thinkit looks good.
I think I got a mustache andI'm like you don't.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, you don't.
You need to shave it becauseit's fuzzy.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, All right, best thing to do with the kids in
Baton Rouge.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
We do.
I mean we do anything.
We love movies.
I mean I grew up going tomovies all the time movie
theater, so you know I'll takethem to movies.
We like go to the Knock KnockMuseum with the Littlest.
The girls really love to shopand so they are very much into
going to all the stores outthere.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Sephora.
Oh and Ulta.
Why I don't know, but wheneverI need my hair or makeup done, I
just go downstairs to my13-year-old's room because her
stuff is way nicer than mine is?
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Yes, it is, and they like to do it.
I'm like why, that's a thing,so yeah, so that's where we're
at.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
All right, nice, best scenic drive in Louisiana.
I put best in front of everyone of these.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
On purpose.
I hope you all pick up on that.
Got it, got it.
Best scenic drive in Louisiana.
I love the drive up 61 to goingtowards Mississippi.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I love that drive.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Yeah, perfect, and I really also like the drive to
Clinton going Mississippi thatway as well.
I think it's really pretty too.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah, agreed, I just found the tail end of Old Scenic
to St Francisville to be reallypleasant.
I haven't driven that one untilnow, so like what is it 13
years later?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
14.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I found a nice road.
Yeah, amongst other many nicecountry roads, best greasy spoon
in Shreveport.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Oh, my goodness, I love, I really liked Southville
Grill.
I mean that was.
It was kind of like a kind of adiner, I guess, but it was
delicious and we ate there allthe time.
I loved Shreveport.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I loved living.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
I loved living there, yeah, cool, cool.
All right, that's a lightninground.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You passed All right.
So, jessica, you graduated fromLSU with a degree in fashion
merchandising, but life had somedifferent plans for you, as we
alluded to before you venturedinto this industry.
Can you share a bit about thatjourney and how it led you to
finally opening your ownboutique?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Sure.
So I did graduate back foreverago in 2002 in fashion
merchandising.
I always planned to open my ownstore.
That had been the plan forever.
But Josh, boyfriend then um,lived in Shreveport.
He was in his medical school.
He was in his first or secondor third year in medical school
(06:51):
and so I decided to um movethere.
Uh, do something different.
I got my real estate license,sold real estate up there while
we lived up there and then wemoved back down here.
Um, it had never really been onmy mind, you know, to open my
own store.
It was just kind of like afleeting dream.
Yeah, that's what I wanted todo when I was younger.
But you know, things kind ofchanged.
(07:16):
I had passed, I realized thatthere was a place, okay, so we
moved, we came back home andthat was for uh, josh's.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yeah, so we lived up there medical career.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
He went to school up there and then he did his
residency up in shreveport yeahand then we moved back in 2010
when isla was about, uh, justthree months old, three or four
months old okay we moved backhere and we wanted to be closer
to our family who is from BatonRouge.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, do y'all have any family or ties to Zachary?
Speaker 1 (07:47):
No, we do not.
Actually, some of our familymoved here, though, oh cool
Josh's parents moved here acouple of years ago.
They live down the street.
We live on the south end of thestreet.
They live on the north end ofthe street and it is it's
amazing bringing back thenuclear family.
It is amazing we love it.
We absolutely love it.
Um, but we moved down here.
(08:09):
We, um, you know we werealready married, but we had isla
, we had more kids and I wasjust, you know, a mom and doing
all the things that you do with,you know, growing your family
and building your family.
So owning my own place was, Imean, it really wasn't anything
I even thought about anymore,but, um, it just so happened
(08:30):
that God had other plans for meand, um, looking forward to
talking about that too and how,um, god actually is the one who
who pushed me into this.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
So yeah, yeah, so all right.
So what were some of the signsthat finally convinced you or
showed you that now was theright time?
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Okay, so I was, um.
This was in May, so we are inAugust right now.
So in May the school was almostover and I was trying to find a
birthday present for um, afriend, and I knew exactly what
I wanted.
I wanted a very, something,very specific.
I wanted a cute outfit,something that I saw.
When I saw it, I was like thatis her.
And so I went into a couple ofdifferent stores and, while
(09:10):
everything had great inventory,it just did not have exactly
what I was looking for.
It did not have the mature feelthat I wanted.
So I was really frustrated andI left and I just was driving
home and I passed the pink house.
And I mean it was.
It was amazing.
(09:31):
I heard him say why not you?
What about now?
And so I went home and I was,you know, I didn't think too
much about it.
I went home and I was that'skind of weird, you know, that's
just you wanting something.
And so I prayed about it and Italked to Josh about it and I
asked all my sweet friends topray for it and I was like, if
(09:51):
this is really something thathe's telling me to do, if this
is really something that Ishould be doing and not just you
know, something I want to do,please, you know, remove all the
roadblocks.
You know, just make it easy,make it go, and he did.
You know, just make it easy,make it go.
And he did he.
I mean he, he removedeverything there.
You know, there was somebody inline for the building, um with
me and um, um it.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Just God's hand was on it and it just, they just
kind of moved away it just kindof worked out, so um I should
have put that as a rider on thesign.
Why not you?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
now.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Could have been using that all these years.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
So, anyway, so it's um, that's, that is why I'm here
.
Yeah, so it, yeah, so it'sgreat.
Um, I'm excited.
Clearly, I am terrified.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
It's a beautiful building, it's so I mean.
All you have to do is say thepink building and everybody gets
it.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Correct I mean I called it iconic and Josh was
like are you sure it's iconic?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
I'm like it's totally iconic, it is now it is, I
think, it is.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, and it's open?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
yeah, and I'm like the doors are locked.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Yeah, I'm buying myself, no, um, so anyway, I'm,
I'm excited, I'm really reallyexcited about it.
Um, laurie did a great job withthe building.
There's not too much that I hadto do.
I had to build out dressingrooms, um, and I had.
I really want to put someconcrete building.
There's not too much that I hadto do.
I had to build out dressingrooms, um, and I had.
I really want to put someconcrete in, but it's not quite
in my budget right now in thatlittle driveway?
Yes, but they're just going todrive over that right now.
(11:25):
Okay, we're just we're justgoing to drive over it and
everything's.
I'm going to put some signs upand it's just not worth 7,000
right now to to just do a 300square foot piece of concrete.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Got it, got it.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
So did you know that that was actually our office?
About what?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Nine or 10 years ago.
Yes, tiger Town Rented.
Yes, I did, it wasn't ourbrokerage, but yeah, yeah, we
didn't own it.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
My broker at the time rented it.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
But I put that floor in.
No we.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
We put that.
No, we, we and Courtney.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Tucker donated that floor.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
She did.
It was actually kind of funnybecause we were renting it it
was like the first time we'd hadan office and we're like we
hate this carpet and likewithout even telling.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Mr Hank.
Anything, he was Mr HankMatthews.
God bless him.
He was the landlord.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
We just like ripped it up and totally renovated this
building.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
He loved his green carpet.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
No, but he loved the floor.
I'm sure he would not mind thatat all.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
But then I ran out of that floor and I didn't put
like two of them down and he waspretty he brought it up for at
least two years after that hedid yeah, just cover it with a
rug.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Just cover it with a rug, you got 98% of a free floor
.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
man, Come on.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
It's fine, all right, uh, no, so I think everybody's
probably really excited to hearmore about the offering.
Um, so we hear how you're kindof differentiated, yeah okay.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
So, um, serving is kind of big in our family.
We, um, we both grew up infamilies that wanted to serve
others and josh went into acareer based on that and anybody
who knows him while he is kindof like a teddy bear wrapped in
barbed wire, you really, I meanhe's kind of scary to some
people.
He will, I mean, give you theshirt off his back.
(13:07):
He is the most giving man thatthere is.
And so we tell our kids everyday when they get off of school
or when they're going to schoolhey, try to find somebody to
help today, try to do somethingto help somebody.
And then, when we pray at night, we're like who did you help?
Oh cool.
And we, you know, and our kidseven ask us that hey, who did
you help today?
And there's some days.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I'm like you know I didn't I?
Speaker 1 (13:30):
yeah, it's just it helps put it in the forefront of
of being available to otherpeople.
You know, even if it'ssomething as small as opening a
door for somebody or and ourkids have been like I opened the
door for that person and that'sgreat, that's what you need to
do.
That's where it starts.
So, um, we are big into serviceand, uh, I feel that I want, I
(13:54):
want best in code to be a place,um, where you feel good going
in and then you can feel goodabout shopping Right.
So, I want to be able to giveback, like this community has
blessed us um exponentially andbeen there for us, and what I
want to do is, um, I don't knowhow it's going to look yet, but
I want to do a portion ofprofits each quarter to a
(14:17):
different nonprofit or charity,a local charity, and it doesn't
have to be local, you know, butI, I, I would love for it to be
local.
And, um, I would like eveneventually being able to to
bring the customer's opinionsand, hey, is there a family that
might be a need that we coulddonate?
Um family that might be a needthat we could donate this
quarter's proceeds to?
Or, you know, is there acharity that you, like you
(14:38):
personally, give to?
Would that work for you?
And so I'm interested to see ifwe can do that.
Yeah, I mean, I feel like wecan.
I don't know why we couldn't dothat.
I mean, I know we can do that.
We will be doing that, but Ihope it takes off yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You know I hope it takes off.
Yeah, you know, I hope that,like at Winn-Dixie or you know
any grocery store or Walgreensor whatever, there's always that
little thing that's like donatean extra dollar or round up for
whatever.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Oh, that's cool too.
You can just yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, it's probably a setting on, like the square the
square setting.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Probably.
Well, I'll be doing Shopify so.
Okay, so okay, all right.
Cool about any of that.
It is.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
It is not user-friendly, yeah, not
user-friendly at all, but we'reworking on it.
Yeah, well, as a woman in yourtarget demographic, over 35
years old and also petite I longago probably when I was like 25
years old decided thatboutiques are not and never
would be for me, because youknow, like you go so many times
and you're like I can't wearthis, like I'm not an off the
rack person.
So it's really exciting to methat you recognize that and that
(15:42):
you're bringing something toZachary that you know is for us.
Yes, us girls, yes.
Okay, retired hot girls yes.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
And it's important to have all of the pieces of
clothing Like that's superimportant to me.
I do not want all of the piecesof clothing.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
That's super important to me, there will be
no crop tops.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
I tell everybody no booty shorts.
It's not necessarily a momplace, but it's a shop for women
, moms and grandmas.
We will have multi-generationalthings.
Isla's already gotten a couplethings.
She's in high school.
My mother-in-law's like I lovethis, I love this and and she's
(16:18):
82, so she'll be 82, I think,this year.
So, um, it's something that Ithink you know.
Daughters can go in with theirmoms or grandmas and shop and oh
, that's good, and I thinkthat's fun.
I think that's something we need.
I mean, our kids love to gowith their grandmother shopping
all the time, so do ours.
What is that?
(16:39):
It's because they buy them.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, I'm like I'm not going to buy that.
I'm like, well, Gigi will, andI'm like don't spend Gigi's
money.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Correct.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Gigi's on a fixed income.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Correct.
Stop doing it, yes.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
So what are some of the brands you had mentioned in
our interview that we ran lastweek, that you're excited to be
sharing some of your favoritebrands?
Yes, okay.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
So my favorite brands are Intro, which is what I'm
wearing right now.
It's one of my favorites.
Look amazing this is not in myshop.
This was from a differentboutique in Lake Charles that I
got back in the spring.
But Intro is one of my favoritebrands Fate, tcec, thml, some
(17:23):
other Skyser Blue.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I don't know any of those, but once I start shopping
at your boutique, I'm going tobe like it's TCEC, tcey.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
They're really, really cute.
And then I think, well, I know,I'm going to be carrying cut
fur cloth.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
I do know that one.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
So I will be the only person I think around that
sells them.
So that's kind of a good thingfor me.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
And I do want to talk about the other things in
addition to clothing that you'regoing to be offering.
But before I forget, I wantedto ask you what your first
experience going to market.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Actually, that was not my first experience.
Oh, it wasn't, no.
So I ran clothing stores.
I mean, I started working in aclothing store when I was 16.
So I don't know if y'allremember, are you?
Y'all are not from Baton.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Rouge.
I'm from.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Baton Rouge?
Okay.
So Hudson Bay, do you rememberthat?
Okay, it was in the.
It was down at LSU.
For a long time I worked at theoriginal on Chime Street and
then they opened into the Mallof Louisiana when it first
opened in 98.
So it was right under theescalators.
I think like Mignon Faget maybe there now, or something.
(18:29):
So that's where I worked throughcollege and then they closed
down and then I was runninganother clothing store on LSU
campus.
But no, I've been to all.
I've been to all the markets LAMagic and Vegas, dallas.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
What is your strategy ?
Because I've heard it's likevery overwhelming.
Oh, it's definitelyoverwhelming.
So were you like I'm going tocommit to this item right here
or I'm going to see what all mychoices are?
Speaker 1 (18:52):
and I'll circle back.
Yeah, no, I don't.
I don't do that.
I am a circle backer kind ofgirl.
So I had some friends with me,this, this go around, which was
such a beautiful gift because alot of things you know I would.
Our system was I would pullsomething that I liked and they
would go pull their things andthen we'd get them all together
and then we would just sort oflike whittle out, like no,
(19:14):
that's kind of you know.
And then a lot of things werelike that's very you and I'm
like, well, yeah, I mean if, ifI don't love it, like why would
I want to sell it right?
you know, but, um, so they theyhelped me a lot, um, to see that
you know, not everything has tobe exactly what you know I need
.
Yeah, so, um, they helped me alot, but it was.
It was really fun.
Like you have to go in therewith a budget one.
(19:36):
It's not a free-for-all.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I don't know anything about that.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
You got to pay for all that stuff at some point,
right, that's what I've beentold.
So yeah, so you have to go inwith a budget and a plan.
So we I had not appointments,but I had a list, a plan of
every booth, every showroom thatI wanted to go to, and it took
like the first day.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
We just sort of like looked around and I made notes
at every, every showroom of thethings that I wanted.
I don't think she has any ideawhat we're talking about.
Can you just kind of paint avisual picture of what market
looks like?
Sure, it's 11.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Okay, so the Atlanta market is 11 stories and it's
multiple buildings, right?
11 stories, 11 stories.
It's crazy.
So the apparel market is 11stories and it's multiple
buildings right, 11 stories, 11stories.
It's crazy.
So the apparel market is in.
The one that I went to ismostly in building three but,
it's 11 floors and it's not justlike I mean, it's massive
(20:31):
floors breaking out in a sweatJust hearing this.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
It's the size of the mall, but like oh, it's stacked
11, like the mall of the biggestmall in the world.
I mean it's it's.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
It's very overwhelming and you walk a
minimum of 20 000 steps a dayyeah, I mean it's, but it's so
fun and overwhelming and theyhold them what?
twice a year?
No, they hold them five times ayear.
Oh my gosh, wow.
So yeah, they hold them fivetimes a year.
There's um at.
I chose Atlanta because I wasopening September, I wanted
Labor Day, and so the Dallas win.
(21:02):
While I will go to Dallas, theDallas win was a little bit
later it's two weeks later thanAtlanta was, so I needed that
extra time.
So I went to the first one thatI could, and they're usually a
couple weeks apart.
And then Magic and um the.
They're usually a couple ofweeks apart, and then magic is a
couple of times a year, butDallas and Atlanta are five
times a year.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
And then magic is basically like a trade show.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Right, it's definitely a trade show.
They have permanent showroomswhere people um, that's where
they work and they they sell.
You can come in.
You don't have to go at markettime, you could come in whenever
and place an order and then youknow, during the slow times,
they have sprinter vans and theytake their racks of clothes and
they travel to their shops umtheir customers and they travel
(21:43):
and you know, show their linewhen you can't make it too.
So we did that and it was, itwas, it was something, it was a
lot and we would go until itclosed.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
And then it was you and we would go until it closed,
and then it was.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
You wake up when you're there before it opens and
you're there when it closes.
It's only four days.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
So you have to plan they.
You know market is probablythree to six months in advance.
That's what you're buying forthree to six months out, and so
they have some immediate.
So I already have some thingsthat I bought that came in
already, but the majority of mystuff, my initial launch product
, was the same brands it's justtheir immediate that were
available wholesale on theirwebsites so that I didn't have
(22:21):
to be at market cause I missedthe original markets in June.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Okay, so moving on from apparel, what else will you
have in stock, at Best in Co?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
So we have, we have a few shoes.
We're trying out shoes.
Um, we have a lot of basicshoes like closet, staple type
shoes, nothing, you know.
No, like crazy, I don't evenknow how to explain it no,
rhinestone boots, or yes, yes,yes, a lot of flats because,
let's be real, lots of womenlike flats.
(22:52):
I mean like we're just too oldfor that pain and for comfort.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Yes correct.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
So I have a lot of flats, Um, you know, a lot of
slides, some really cute tennisshoes that have not made it but
are common.
Um, we have some handbags,quite a few handbags actually.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
What kind of?
Speaker 1 (23:08):
brands.
So we have Caroline Hillhandbags, and then we have some
Jen and co handbags, um, andthen lots of jewelry, lots and
lots and lots and lots ofcostume, jewelry or no it's not.
I mean, I wouldn't say it'scostume jewelry when you say
costume jewelry.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
I think of like, yeah , I think of like my great great
grandmother yeah, um, who wascuban?
Speaker 1 (23:30):
who had these ginormous um little?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
they were clipons, but they look like buttons with,
like all this jewelry, becausethey didn't pierce their ears.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
I don't think back then, but, um, so I do.
So my price points are I haveeverything, um, like you know,
some clothes that are anywherefrom $29.
And then I have some thingsthat are, you know, $129.
The majority of it's right downin the middle, you know,
between 50 and 70.
And jewelry is not uh expensivelike that.
(24:02):
I don't plan on carrying.
I don't personally wear superexpensive jewelry, um, but I
will have, you know, differentprice ranges for people who do.
I mean, I'm not going to havesuper expensive, I think.
I think probably I'll have.
I think the most expensivething I have is like a ring
that's like 70 or $80 orsomething like that which is a
lot for a race.
(24:27):
Actually, this ring, which islike my absolute favorite, and
then this one too, I bought themat um market, and then I went
and bought the remaining onesfor my shop.
So, um, but a price points injewelry or you know, anywhere
from $20, 15 to um the 79, $80.
So it's not, it's not crazyexpensive or anything.
And then I don't really plan oncarrying gifts just because we
(24:50):
have great gift shops out here,and I don't want to.
I want Best in Co to be a placethat you go to.
You're looking for somethingdifferent, like we all live in
the same town.
We don't all need the samestuff.
So I want to be able to carrythe brands that not everybody
has and the outfits that noteverybody has.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
and we don't want to all be wearing the same thing
correct.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
I will not purchase.
I don't.
I'm not going to go deep intoproduct assortment.
I'm I'm um, just really goingto get a maximum of probably six
per size to try out, and thesizes range from small to extra
large depending on the label.
Every label is different on howthey that they do things, how
they tag things.
(25:34):
But also I'm trying out plussizes.
So I had a lot of ladies thatyou know were asking for some
really cute extended sizes, anda lot of my favorite brands now
offer that.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
I've noticed that too , with petite sizing.
So will you be having, will yoube offering anything like in
short or in long?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
sizes.
No, no because Okay, we've gotsome great seamstresses, yeah,
so in this in boutique I guessthey don't really offer like
different lengths for anythinglike that.
It's strictly like regularsizing and then it's extended or
plus sizing, so I'm going totry out.
I have about 15 differentstyles that are extended sizes
or curvy sizes is what I'm goingto call them.
(26:18):
They're going to be my curvybesties, so I'll have my besties
, you know, like my clients aremy besties, like people that
come in are going to be mybesties.
you know, like my clients are mybesties, like people that come
in are gonna be my besties andand that's so fun, it's really
great.
Josh is like that's so dumb no,I think it's amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
I think it's amazing.
I have totally hijacked thispodcast interview from no, no,
are you kidding me?
Speaker 2 (26:40):
I'm loving it.
It's like I'm still here in thecorner.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
No, this is great, it's great okay, so, um, we kind
of touched on it earlier, buttell us really who your target
audience is and how you wantthem to feel when they come in
and when they leave.
Okay, like, can I bring my 13year old daughter there?
Speaker 1 (27:03):
totally, if she can fit in smalls and some extra
smalls.
So, it's not going to have anykind of tween clothing or
anything like that.
So our sixth grader, who is 11,she actually can't fit into
anything.
I mean, she wants to, she trieson like everything in there but
, she's not quite, she will getthere.
(27:24):
Isla, she's.
She's a freshman, she's 14.
Quite, she will get there.
Um, isla, she's.
She's a freshman, she's 14.
She can fit into the smalls andextra smalls.
So I definitely think thatthere are a lot of things and
they span multi-generations.
My target customer is basicallyme.
It's, um, it's a woman who is35 or older.
I mean, clearly younger womencan shop there, but it's, it's
geared more towards, you know,know, like I said earlier, full
(27:46):
pieces of clothing, like, notnecessarily modest.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
I don't know if modest is the right word, but
you know, we're not clubbingbaby, we're yeah like cover
those ankles right.
No, not necessarily coveringthe ankles.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
But yeah, I mean we're done with all that I'm
done with all that partying likeum, I was never a partier in
college so I'm really not apartier right now.
I like to go to bed by like 9.
9, 9.30.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
For real, nothing good happens after 9.30.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
That's what he tells the kids.
That's the truth.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
That's what you taught me.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
That's the truth.
I mean 100%.
That is the truth.
Talking about when we'reclosing it down, opening it up
when is the grand opening ofBest in Code Grand opening?
Is going to be Labor Dayweekend, so I actually plan on
being open Friday, august 30th,which it would be normal store
hours.
10 to 5 would be my typicalstore hour, thursdays.
(28:40):
It's going to be a littledifferent on Thursdays after
that because I teach Bible studypreschool Bible study on
Thursdays and I'm not willing togive that up yet so.
I get out of that at 12, and soI'll open this shop on Thursdays
at 1230.
But we open Labor Day weekend,friday the 30th, and we'll be
open Friday, saturday, sundayand Monday.
Because it's a holiday weekend.
(29:01):
I won't typically be openSunday or Monday, but I wanted
to make sure that you knowpeople who are off of work have
a chance to come by, since theymay not, you know, have to be
able to come during the week.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Yeah, and what are your, your daily normal hours?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
So my daily normal hours are Tuesday and Wednesday
and Friday and Saturday, so justevery day, or not.
Thursday it's 10 to five, justthe normal boutique hour
Thursdays is going to be later,but I'm going to stay open later
, so I'm going to come in later.
12.30 probably is when I'llcome in, and then I'm going to
(29:37):
close at 7.
So that way people who get offwork can come in and shop.
Love it.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
All right.
Well, we got to leave it therefor today, but we're neighbors
now, right we are neighbors.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
The old um train track that's covering, uh,
that's blocking us yeah, sothat's.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
That's uh a little committee I'm gonna rope you
into when I have the energy totake up that um, they're trying
city's.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
It's just working with okay.
So we need to help people tocross the train track.
Like my dad, he's handicapped.
He can't get over that traintrack to go over there.
When Roly Poly was over therehe couldn't do it.
So you know, if we wantwalkability, we got to mean it.
We got to put our dollarsbehind it.
(30:26):
We also got to convince thattrain company to be about that
as well.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
They're very hard to reach, but I will say that the
city has told me that there isthe money out there allocated to
be able to put a crosswalk.
We just need to, as a community, figure out the best place to
put it.
They said not the train tracks,right, yeah, I guess maybe like
ahead of the Depot, but we'vegot you coming in, we've got the
new Depot diner.
We live here now and we'rehaving people out here and you
(30:54):
know everything else that'sgoing on downtown.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
So it's it's only a matter of time before this is
like a really vibrant hub and wewe want to push toward
connectivity and people beingable to safely go from your
place all the way down to thefarmer's market.
You know, yes, yeah, yeah, I'mall for that.
Yeah, all right.
Well, thanks for being bleedingedge of the the downtown uh
(31:16):
scene and welcome.
All right, that's it for today.
We'll be keeping an eye out forthe grand opening announcement.
Jessica, thank you so much forjoining us today and giving us a
glimpse into what you have comeinto downtown, and thanks to
our listeners for tuning in.
Be sure to follow us on socialmedia for updates and Best in
Co's opening and all the latesthappenings in Zachary.
Huge shout-outs to ourcommunity partners, like Brew
(31:37):
and Breck and the City ofZachary, who stand with us in
our mission to make Zachary aplace where every resident feels
heard and engaged.
Thanks to the generosity andsupport of our community
partners, the magazine, podcastand everything you see online is
possible and free.
The three T's that make upquality of life.
Pick up trash when you see itFoster technology at any expense
(31:57):
.
And if you want to retain thebest talent, we've got to have
an attitude of tolerance towardsthose diverse voices so we can
begin to engage everyone'stalents in our community.
Those diverse voices are thecreative engines that will drive
the future success of oureconomy.
All right, guys, until nexttime.
Bye-bye Now.
If you're out there yellingencore and you're still there
(32:21):
and want a little bit morecommunity unity, we're going to
do a little encore this week.
So, if you know me, I'm a hugemusic lover.
I'm going to pair one of myfavorite songs with a little
guided community inspo session.
If that's not for you, I'mtelling you it's cool If you're
on a run, while you listen, orjust going out about your work
day.
Take a deep breath and enjoy.
(32:42):
Here's Alan Toussaint's versionof Cast your Fates to the wind.
Find a comfortable position,whether seated or standing,
close your eyes, if you'd like,and take a deep breath in and
(33:04):
slowly exhale.
Allow yourself to relax andsettle into this moment and, as
you breathe naturally, pictureyourself strolling or riding in
the heart of Zachary, surroundedby the familiar sights and
sounds of our community.
Feel a connection to the groundbeneath you, the same ground we
(33:28):
all share.
With each breath, think aboutthe people of Zachary, your
neighbors, friends and family.
Picture the places that makeour town special the parks,
schools and local businesses.
(33:48):
Please take a moment toappreciate being a part of this
community.
Let the music guide you to aplace of calm within yourself.
Focus on your breathing, let anytension you may feel start to
(34:09):
fade, allow yourself to feelpeaceful and centered and, as
you continue to relax, thinkabout something you're grateful
for in Zachary.
It could be a person, a placeor a memory.
Hold that thought and imaginesharing that sense of gratitude
(34:33):
and positivity with othersaround you.
Now imagine this feeling ofgoodwill spreading across our
town, bringing people together.
Picture a community whereeveryone feels connected,
supported and valued.
(34:53):
Take one big last deep breathin feeling calm and connected to
Zachary.
When you're ready, gently openyour eyes, carrying this sense
of peace and community with youthroughout your work week, your
weekend or wherever and wheneveryou choose to listen.
(35:16):
Thank you for being a part ofthis community.
Bye-bye now, thank you.
Hey everybody, this is Jessica with Best Co Boutique
.
Keep listening to Porch Parishthe podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
What's up, Zachary?
It's sunny and 100 plus, butwe're together.
Today we're excited tointroduce Jessica, the dynamic
entrepreneur behind thesoon-to-open Best Co Boutique.
Jessica's journey is aremarkable one.
She graduated from LSU with adegree in fashion merchandising,
dreaming of opening her ownboutique.
However, life took her througha variety of experiences, from
managing a boutique in BatonRouge to working in real estate
(00:33):
in Shreveport.
Her path eventually led her toZachary, where she and her
family have deeply rootedthemselves in our community.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Hey, jessica, hi, and hey, jen Hello it's Jen she
here from Fortune Parishco-hosting.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Welcome, jessica.
We are glad to have you Now.
Jessica is back with a visionto fill a unique niche in our
town.
Bestie Co Boutique will caterto women 35 and up, offering a
curated selection of highquality, stylish pieces that
stand out.
Today we'll dive into her story, the inspiration behind that
boutique and what she envisionsfor this new chapter in Zachary.
(01:07):
Stay tuned for an insightfulconversation about passion,
community and fashion.
You already know what we do.
We bring you the best ofZachary and the Baton Rouge
region through candyconversations every Monday from
our headquarters right here onVirginia Street.
This is Portion Parish, thepodcast.
Stay tuned, we'll be right backwith the lightning round.
We're back.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Okay, I have a question.
I want to kick off thislightning round by asking if you
, jessica, pronounce it niche orniche.
I say niche, niche, so you saidniche.
Yeah, all right, you know what?
However you say it just say itinto the microphone.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So you said niche.
Yeah, all right, you know what?
However you say it, just say itinto the microphone.
We're a little echoey, sorry,all right, okay, jessica.
Family and pets.
You want to shout out to any ofthem?
You said one or the other.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
No, oh, I thought we were just saying lightning, not
family or pets.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
You know what I thought you said lightning round
, so I was serious.
You have to save one.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
One gets struck by lightning.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Clearly my family, but you know it'd be a close
second.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
We're going to get a call from PETA after this.
Great Okay, shout out to thepets.
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Okay, tell us about.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Dr Best.
Okay, well, dr Best is myhusband.
We went to high school together.
We were from Baton Rouge.
We went to high school together, went to Parkview and we he is
OBGYN out here, he's been outhere.
We've been here for 14 years,coming up on 15 soon, and we
(02:43):
have three kids.
We have Isla, who's a freshman,and we have Rosie, who is sixth
grade, and JB, who is ourlittle caboose going up into
second grade.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Cool names.
Love that.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
They're all family names.
Actually, isla is ourgreat-grandmother, josh's great
Josh's grandmother's name, andthen Rosie is from my family,
like you know, generations back.
Yeah, andb is actually josh'sgrandfather's name.
He was.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
that's his given name , jb he was given initials, so
um his name.
That is next level.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
His name is actually joshua hayes, which is my maiden
name, and but we call him jbfor his grandfather, so yeah,
that's cute, cool, love that umall right oh, we have a dog max
not belong, not a lightningstrike, that's true, yeah, true
because I'll save
Speaker 2 (03:31):
the kids.
If there's any survivalsituation, dog's going um
actually our kids can.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Our kids can like run , so I'd probably grab max and
then tell them to hurry, follow,follow behind.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
See, the problem with our kids names is our older
kids, max and Lucy.
Everybody's dogs are named Maxor Lucy, so poor kids.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Ours is actually mustache, max.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Von Braun Best.
That's our dog's actual name,but Max is for short, cause
that's a mouthful.
It really is.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
We might have to start calling our our Max,
because he keeps trying to growthis.
He's 15 and he's like I thinkit looks good.
I think I got a mustache andI'm like you don't.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, you don't.
You need to shave it becauseit's fuzzy.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah, All right, best thing to do with the kids in
Baton Rouge.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
We do.
I mean we do anything.
We love movies.
I mean I grew up going tomovies all the time movie
theater, so you know I'll takethem to movies.
We like go to the Knock KnockMuseum with the Littlest.
The girls really love to shopand so they are very much into
going to all the stores outthere.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Sephora.
Oh and Ulta.
Why I don't know, but wheneverI need my hair or makeup done, I
just go downstairs to my13-year-old's room because her
stuff is way nicer than mine is?
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Yes, it is, and they like to do it.
I'm like why, that's a thing,so yeah, so that's where we're
at.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
All right, nice, best scenic drive in Louisiana.
I put best in front of everyone of these.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
On purpose.
I hope you all pick up on that.
Got it, got it.
Best scenic drive in Louisiana.
I love the drive up 61 to goingtowards Mississippi.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I love that drive.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Yeah, perfect, and I really also like the drive to
Clinton going Mississippi thatway as well.
I think it's really pretty too.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah, agreed, I just found the tail end of Old Scenic
to St Francisville to be reallypleasant.
I haven't driven that one untilnow, so like what is it 13
years later?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
14.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I found a nice road.
Yeah, amongst other many nicecountry roads, best greasy spoon
in Shreveport.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Oh, my goodness, I love, I really liked Southville
Grill.
I mean that was.
It was kind of like a kind of adiner, I guess, but it was
delicious and we ate there allthe time.
I loved Shreveport.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I loved living.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
I loved living there, yeah, cool, cool.
All right, that's a lightninground.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You passed All right.
So, jessica, you graduated fromLSU with a degree in fashion
merchandising, but life had somedifferent plans for you, as we
alluded to before you venturedinto this industry.
Can you share a bit about thatjourney and how it led you to
finally opening your ownboutique?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Sure.
So I did graduate back foreverago in 2002 in fashion
merchandising.
I always planned to open my ownstore.
That had been the plan forever.
But Josh, boyfriend then um,lived in Shreveport.
He was in his medical school.
He was in his first or secondor third year in medical school
(06:51):
and so I decided to um movethere.
Uh, do something different.
I got my real estate license,sold real estate up there while
we lived up there and then wemoved back down here.
Um, it had never really been onmy mind, you know, to open my
own store.
It was just kind of like afleeting dream.
Yeah, that's what I wanted todo when I was younger.
But you know, things kind ofchanged.
(07:16):
I had passed, I realized thatthere was a place, okay, so we
moved, we came back home andthat was for uh, josh's.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yeah, so we lived up there medical career.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
He went to school up there and then he did his
residency up in shreveport yeahand then we moved back in 2010
when isla was about, uh, justthree months old, three or four
months old okay we moved backhere and we wanted to be closer
to our family who is from BatonRouge.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, do y'all have any family or ties to Zachary?
Speaker 1 (07:47):
No, we do not.
Actually, some of our familymoved here, though, oh cool
Josh's parents moved here acouple of years ago.
They live down the street.
We live on the south end of thestreet.
They live on the north end ofthe street and it is it's
amazing bringing back thenuclear family.
It is amazing we love it.
We absolutely love it.
Um, but we moved down here.
(08:09):
We, um, you know we werealready married, but we had isla
, we had more kids and I wasjust, you know, a mom and doing
all the things that you do with,you know, growing your family
and building your family.
So owning my own place was, Imean, it really wasn't anything
I even thought about anymore,but, um, it just so happened
(08:30):
that God had other plans for meand, um, looking forward to
talking about that too and how,um, god actually is the one who
who pushed me into this.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
So yeah, yeah, so all right.
So what were some of the signsthat finally convinced you or
showed you that now was theright time?
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Okay, so I was, um.
This was in May, so we are inAugust right now.
So in May the school was almostover and I was trying to find a
birthday present for um, afriend, and I knew exactly what
I wanted.
I wanted a very, something,very specific.
I wanted a cute outfit,something that I saw.
When I saw it, I was like thatis her.
And so I went into a couple ofdifferent stores and, while
(09:10):
everything had great inventory,it just did not have exactly
what I was looking for.
It did not have the mature feelthat I wanted.
So I was really frustrated andI left and I just was driving
home and I passed the pink house.
And I mean it was.
It was amazing.
(09:31):
I heard him say why not you?
What about now?
And so I went home and I was,you know, I didn't think too
much about it.
I went home and I was that'skind of weird, you know, that's
just you wanting something.
And so I prayed about it and Italked to Josh about it and I
asked all my sweet friends topray for it and I was like, if
(09:51):
this is really something thathe's telling me to do, if this
is really something that Ishould be doing and not just you
know, something I want to do,please, you know, remove all the
roadblocks.
You know, just make it easy,make it go, and he did.
You know, just make it easy,make it go.
And he did he.
I mean he, he removedeverything there.
You know, there was somebody inline for the building, um with
me and um, um it.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Just God's hand was on it and it just, they just
kind of moved away it just kindof worked out, so um I should
have put that as a rider on thesign.
Why not you?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
now.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Could have been using that all these years.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
So, anyway, so it's um, that's, that is why I'm here
.
Yeah, so it, yeah, so it'sgreat.
Um, I'm excited.
Clearly, I am terrified.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
It's a beautiful building, it's so I mean.
All you have to do is say thepink building and everybody gets
it.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Correct I mean I called it iconic and Josh was
like are you sure it's iconic?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
I'm like it's totally iconic, it is now it is, I
think, it is.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, and it's open?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
yeah, and I'm like the doors are locked.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Yeah, I'm buying myself, no, um, so anyway, I'm,
I'm excited, I'm really reallyexcited about it.
Um, laurie did a great job withthe building.
There's not too much that I hadto do.
I had to build out dressingrooms, um, and I had.
I really want to put someconcrete building.
There's not too much that I hadto do.
I had to build out dressingrooms, um, and I had.
I really want to put someconcrete in, but it's not quite
in my budget right now in thatlittle driveway?
Yes, but they're just going todrive over that right now.
(11:25):
Okay, we're just we're justgoing to drive over it and
everything's.
I'm going to put some signs upand it's just not worth 7,000
right now to to just do a 300square foot piece of concrete.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Got it, got it.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
So did you know that that was actually our office?
About what?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Nine or 10 years ago.
Yes, tiger Town Rented.
Yes, I did, it wasn't ourbrokerage, but yeah, yeah, we
didn't own it.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
My broker at the time rented it.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
But I put that floor in.
No we.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
We put that.
No, we, we and Courtney.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Tucker donated that floor.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
She did.
It was actually kind of funnybecause we were renting it it
was like the first time we'd hadan office and we're like we
hate this carpet and likewithout even telling.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Mr Hank.
Anything, he was Mr HankMatthews.
God bless him.
He was the landlord.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
We just like ripped it up and totally renovated this
building.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
He loved his green carpet.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
No, but he loved the floor.
I'm sure he would not mind thatat all.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
But then I ran out of that floor and I didn't put
like two of them down and he waspretty he brought it up for at
least two years after that hedid yeah, just cover it with a
rug.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Just cover it with a rug, you got 98% of a free floor
.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
man, Come on.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
It's fine, all right, uh, no, so I think everybody's
probably really excited to hearmore about the offering.
Um, so we hear how you're kindof differentiated, yeah okay.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
So, um, serving is kind of big in our family.
We, um, we both grew up infamilies that wanted to serve
others and josh went into acareer based on that and anybody
who knows him while he is kindof like a teddy bear wrapped in
barbed wire, you really, I meanhe's kind of scary to some
people.
He will, I mean, give you theshirt off his back.
(13:07):
He is the most giving man thatthere is.
And so we tell our kids everyday when they get off of school
or when they're going to schoolhey, try to find somebody to
help today, try to do somethingto help somebody.
And then, when we pray at night, we're like who did you help?
Oh cool.
And we, you know, and our kidseven ask us that hey, who did
you help today?
And there's some days.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I'm like you know I didn't I?
Speaker 1 (13:30):
yeah, it's just it helps put it in the forefront of
of being available to otherpeople.
You know, even if it'ssomething as small as opening a
door for somebody or and ourkids have been like I opened the
door for that person and that'sgreat, that's what you need to
do.
That's where it starts.
So, um, we are big into serviceand, uh, I feel that I want, I
(13:54):
want best in code to be a place,um, where you feel good going
in and then you can feel goodabout shopping Right.
So, I want to be able to giveback, like this community has
blessed us um exponentially andbeen there for us, and what I
want to do is, um, I don't knowhow it's going to look yet, but
I want to do a portion ofprofits each quarter to a
(14:17):
different nonprofit or charity,a local charity, and it doesn't
have to be local, you know, butI, I, I would love for it to be
local.
And, um, I would like eveneventually being able to to
bring the customer's opinionsand, hey, is there a family that
might be a need that we coulddonate?
Um family that might be a needthat we could donate this
quarter's proceeds to?
Or, you know, is there acharity that you, like you
(14:38):
personally, give to?
Would that work for you?
And so I'm interested to see ifwe can do that.
Yeah, I mean, I feel like wecan.
I don't know why we couldn't dothat.
I mean, I know we can do that.
We will be doing that, but Ihope it takes off yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You know I hope it takes off.
Yeah, you know, I hope that,like at Winn-Dixie or you know
any grocery store or Walgreensor whatever, there's always that
little thing that's like donatean extra dollar or round up for
whatever.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Oh, that's cool too.
You can just yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, it's probably a setting on, like the square the
square setting.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Probably.
Well, I'll be doing Shopify so.
Okay, so okay, all right.
Cool about any of that.
It is.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
It is not user-friendly, yeah, not
user-friendly at all, but we'reworking on it.
Yeah, well, as a woman in yourtarget demographic, over 35
years old and also petite I longago probably when I was like 25
years old decided thatboutiques are not and never
would be for me, because youknow, like you go so many times
and you're like I can't wearthis, like I'm not an off the
rack person.
So it's really exciting to methat you recognize that and that
(15:42):
you're bringing something toZachary that you know is for us.
Yes, us girls, yes.
Okay, retired hot girls yes.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
And it's important to have all of the pieces of
clothing Like that's superimportant to me.
I do not want all of the piecesof clothing.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
That's super important to me, there will be
no crop tops.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
I tell everybody no booty shorts.
It's not necessarily a momplace, but it's a shop for women
, moms and grandmas.
We will have multi-generationalthings.
Isla's already gotten a couplethings.
She's in high school.
My mother-in-law's like I lovethis, I love this and and she's
(16:18):
82, so she'll be 82, I think,this year.
So, um, it's something that Ithink you know.
Daughters can go in with theirmoms or grandmas and shop and oh
, that's good, and I thinkthat's fun.
I think that's something we need.
I mean, our kids love to gowith their grandmother shopping
all the time, so do ours.
What is that?
(16:39):
It's because they buy them.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, I'm like I'm not going to buy that.
I'm like, well, Gigi will, andI'm like don't spend Gigi's
money.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Correct.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Gigi's on a fixed income.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Correct.
Stop doing it, yes.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
So what are some of the brands you had mentioned in
our interview that we ran lastweek, that you're excited to be
sharing some of your favoritebrands?
Yes, okay.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
So my favorite brands are Intro, which is what I'm
wearing right now.
It's one of my favorites.
Look amazing this is not in myshop.
This was from a differentboutique in Lake Charles that I
got back in the spring.
But Intro is one of my favoritebrands Fate, tcec, thml, some
(17:23):
other Skyser Blue.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I don't know any of those, but once I start shopping
at your boutique, I'm going tobe like it's TCEC, tcey.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
They're really, really cute.
And then I think, well, I know,I'm going to be carrying cut
fur cloth.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
I do know that one.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
So I will be the only person I think around that
sells them.
So that's kind of a good thingfor me.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
And I do want to talk about the other things in
addition to clothing that you'regoing to be offering.
But before I forget, I wantedto ask you what your first
experience going to market.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Actually, that was not my first experience.
Oh, it wasn't, no.
So I ran clothing stores.
I mean, I started working in aclothing store when I was 16.
So I don't know if y'allremember, are you?
Y'all are not from Baton.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Rouge.
I'm from.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Baton Rouge?
Okay.
So Hudson Bay, do you rememberthat?
Okay, it was in the.
It was down at LSU.
For a long time I worked at theoriginal on Chime Street and
then they opened into the Mallof Louisiana when it first
opened in 98.
So it was right under theescalators.
I think like Mignon Faget maybe there now, or something.
(18:29):
So that's where I worked throughcollege and then they closed
down and then I was runninganother clothing store on LSU
campus.
But no, I've been to all.
I've been to all the markets LAMagic and Vegas, dallas.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
What is your strategy ?
Because I've heard it's likevery overwhelming.
Oh, it's definitelyoverwhelming.
So were you like I'm going tocommit to this item right here
or I'm going to see what all mychoices are?
Speaker 1 (18:52):
and I'll circle back.
Yeah, no, I don't.
I don't do that.
I am a circle backer kind ofgirl.
So I had some friends with me,this, this go around, which was
such a beautiful gift because alot of things you know I would.
Our system was I would pullsomething that I liked and they
would go pull their things andthen we'd get them all together
and then we would just sort oflike whittle out, like no,
(19:14):
that's kind of you know.
And then a lot of things werelike that's very you and I'm
like, well, yeah, I mean if, ifI don't love it, like why would
I want to sell it right?
you know, but, um, so they theyhelped me a lot, um, to see that
you know, not everything has tobe exactly what you know I need
.
Yeah, so, um, they helped me alot, but it was.
It was really fun.
Like you have to go in therewith a budget one.
(19:36):
It's not a free-for-all.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I don't know anything about that.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
You got to pay for all that stuff at some point,
right, that's what I've beentold.
So yeah, so you have to go inwith a budget and a plan.
So we I had not appointments,but I had a list, a plan of
every booth, every showroom thatI wanted to go to, and it took
like the first day.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
We just sort of like looked around and I made notes
at every, every showroom of thethings that I wanted.
I don't think she has any ideawhat we're talking about.
Can you just kind of paint avisual picture of what market
looks like?
Sure, it's 11.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Okay, so the Atlanta market is 11 stories and it's
multiple buildings, right?
11 stories, 11 stories.
It's crazy.
So the apparel market is 11stories and it's multiple
buildings right, 11 stories, 11stories.
It's crazy.
So the apparel market is in.
The one that I went to ismostly in building three but,
it's 11 floors and it's not justlike I mean, it's massive
(20:31):
floors breaking out in a sweatJust hearing this.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
It's the size of the mall, but like oh, it's stacked
11, like the mall of the biggestmall in the world.
I mean it's it's.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
It's very overwhelming and you walk a
minimum of 20 000 steps a dayyeah, I mean it's, but it's so
fun and overwhelming and theyhold them what?
twice a year?
No, they hold them five times ayear.
Oh my gosh, wow.
So yeah, they hold them fivetimes a year.
There's um at.
I chose Atlanta because I wasopening September, I wanted
Labor Day, and so the Dallas win.
(21:02):
While I will go to Dallas, theDallas win was a little bit
later it's two weeks later thanAtlanta was, so I needed that
extra time.
So I went to the first one thatI could, and they're usually a
couple weeks apart.
And then Magic and um the.
They're usually a couple ofweeks apart, and then magic is a
couple of times a year, butDallas and Atlanta are five
times a year.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
And then magic is basically like a trade show.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Right, it's definitely a trade show.
They have permanent showroomswhere people um, that's where
they work and they they sell.
You can come in.
You don't have to go at markettime, you could come in whenever
and place an order and then youknow, during the slow times,
they have sprinter vans and theytake their racks of clothes and
they travel to their shops umtheir customers and they travel
(21:43):
and you know, show their linewhen you can't make it too.
So we did that and it was, itwas, it was something, it was a
lot and we would go until itclosed.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
And then it was you and we would go until it closed,
and then it was.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
You wake up when you're there before it opens and
you're there when it closes.
It's only four days.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
So you have to plan they.
You know market is probablythree to six months in advance.
That's what you're buying forthree to six months out, and so
they have some immediate.
So I already have some thingsthat I bought that came in
already, but the majority of mystuff, my initial launch product
, was the same brands it's justtheir immediate that were
available wholesale on theirwebsites so that I didn't have
(22:21):
to be at market cause I missedthe original markets in June.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Okay, so moving on from apparel, what else will you
have in stock, at Best in Co?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
So we have, we have a few shoes.
We're trying out shoes.
Um, we have a lot of basicshoes like closet, staple type
shoes, nothing, you know.
No, like crazy, I don't evenknow how to explain it no,
rhinestone boots, or yes, yes,yes, a lot of flats because,
let's be real, lots of womenlike flats.
(22:52):
I mean like we're just too oldfor that pain and for comfort.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Yes correct.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
So I have a lot of flats, Um, you know, a lot of
slides, some really cute tennisshoes that have not made it but
are common.
Um, we have some handbags,quite a few handbags actually.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
What kind of?
Speaker 1 (23:08):
brands.
So we have Caroline Hillhandbags, and then we have some
Jen and co handbags, um, andthen lots of jewelry, lots and
lots and lots and lots ofcostume, jewelry or no it's not.
I mean, I wouldn't say it'scostume jewelry when you say
costume jewelry.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
I think of like, yeah , I think of like my great great
grandmother yeah, um, who wascuban?
Speaker 1 (23:30):
who had these ginormous um little?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
they were clipons, but they look like buttons with,
like all this jewelry, becausethey didn't pierce their ears.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
I don't think back then, but, um, so I do.
So my price points are I haveeverything, um, like you know,
some clothes that are anywherefrom $29.
And then I have some thingsthat are, you know, $129.
The majority of it's right downin the middle, you know,
between 50 and 70.
And jewelry is not uh expensivelike that.
(24:02):
I don't plan on carrying.
I don't personally wear superexpensive jewelry, um, but I
will have, you know, differentprice ranges for people who do.
I mean, I'm not going to havesuper expensive, I think.
I think probably I'll have.
I think the most expensivething I have is like a ring
that's like 70 or $80 orsomething like that which is a
lot for a race.
(24:27):
Actually, this ring, which islike my absolute favorite, and
then this one too, I bought themat um market, and then I went
and bought the remaining onesfor my shop.
So, um, but a price points injewelry or you know, anywhere
from $20, 15 to um the 79, $80.
So it's not, it's not crazyexpensive or anything.
And then I don't really plan oncarrying gifts just because we
(24:50):
have great gift shops out here,and I don't want to.
I want Best in Co to be a placethat you go to.
You're looking for somethingdifferent, like we all live in
the same town.
We don't all need the samestuff.
So I want to be able to carrythe brands that not everybody
has and the outfits that noteverybody has.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
and we don't want to all be wearing the same thing
correct.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
I will not purchase.
I don't.
I'm not going to go deep intoproduct assortment.
I'm I'm um, just really goingto get a maximum of probably six
per size to try out, and thesizes range from small to extra
large depending on the label.
Every label is different on howthey that they do things, how
they tag things.
(25:34):
But also I'm trying out plussizes.
So I had a lot of ladies thatyou know were asking for some
really cute extended sizes, anda lot of my favorite brands now
offer that.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
I've noticed that too , with petite sizing.
So will you be having, will yoube offering anything like in
short or in long?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
sizes.
No, no because Okay, we've gotsome great seamstresses, yeah,
so in this in boutique I guessthey don't really offer like
different lengths for anythinglike that.
It's strictly like regularsizing and then it's extended or
plus sizing, so I'm going totry out.
I have about 15 differentstyles that are extended sizes
or curvy sizes is what I'm goingto call them.
(26:18):
They're going to be my curvybesties, so I'll have my besties
, you know, like my clients aremy besties, like people that
come in are going to be mybesties.
you know, like my clients are mybesties, like people that come
in are gonna be my besties andand that's so fun, it's really
great.
Josh is like that's so dumb no,I think it's amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
I think it's amazing.
I have totally hijacked thispodcast interview from no, no,
are you kidding me?
Speaker 2 (26:40):
I'm loving it.
It's like I'm still here in thecorner.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
No, this is great, it's great okay, so, um, we kind
of touched on it earlier, buttell us really who your target
audience is and how you wantthem to feel when they come in
and when they leave.
Okay, like, can I bring my 13year old daughter there?
Speaker 1 (27:03):
totally, if she can fit in smalls and some extra
smalls.
So, it's not going to have anykind of tween clothing or
anything like that.
So our sixth grader, who is 11,she actually can't fit into
anything.
I mean, she wants to, she trieson like everything in there but
, she's not quite, she will getthere.
(27:24):
Isla, she's.
She's a freshman, she's 14.
Quite, she will get there.
Um, isla, she's.
She's a freshman, she's 14.
She can fit into the smalls andextra smalls.
So I definitely think thatthere are a lot of things and
they span multi-generations.
My target customer is basicallyme.
It's, um, it's a woman who is35 or older.
I mean, clearly younger womencan shop there, but it's, it's
geared more towards, you know,know, like I said earlier, full
(27:46):
pieces of clothing, like, notnecessarily modest.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
I don't know if modest is the right word, but
you know, we're not clubbingbaby, we're yeah like cover
those ankles right.
No, not necessarily coveringthe ankles.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
But yeah, I mean we're done with all that I'm
done with all that partying likeum, I was never a partier in
college so I'm really not apartier right now.
I like to go to bed by like 9.
9, 9.30.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
For real, nothing good happens after 9.30.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
That's what he tells the kids.
That's the truth.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
That's what you taught me.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
That's the truth.
I mean 100%.
That is the truth.
Talking about when we'reclosing it down, opening it up
when is the grand opening ofBest in Code Grand opening?
Is going to be Labor Dayweekend, so I actually plan on
being open Friday, august 30th,which it would be normal store
hours.
10 to 5 would be my typicalstore hour, thursdays.
(28:40):
It's going to be a littledifferent on Thursdays after
that because I teach Bible studypreschool Bible study on
Thursdays and I'm not willing togive that up yet so.
I get out of that at 12, and soI'll open this shop on Thursdays
at 1230.
But we open Labor Day weekend,friday the 30th, and we'll be
open Friday, saturday, sundayand Monday.
Because it's a holiday weekend.
(29:01):
I won't typically be openSunday or Monday, but I wanted
to make sure that you knowpeople who are off of work have
a chance to come by, since theymay not, you know, have to be
able to come during the week.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Yeah, and what are your, your daily normal hours?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
So my daily normal hours are Tuesday and Wednesday
and Friday and Saturday, so justevery day, or not.
Thursday it's 10 to five, justthe normal boutique hour
Thursdays is going to be later,but I'm going to stay open later
, so I'm going to come in later.
12.30 probably is when I'llcome in, and then I'm going to
(29:37):
close at 7.
So that way people who get offwork can come in and shop.
Love it.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
All right.
Well, we got to leave it therefor today, but we're neighbors
now, right we are neighbors.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
The old um train track that's covering, uh,
that's blocking us yeah, sothat's.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
That's uh a little committee I'm gonna rope you
into when I have the energy totake up that um, they're trying
city's.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
It's just working with okay.
So we need to help people tocross the train track.
Like my dad, he's handicapped.
He can't get over that traintrack to go over there.
When Roly Poly was over therehe couldn't do it.
So you know, if we wantwalkability, we got to mean it.
We got to put our dollarsbehind it.
(30:26):
We also got to convince thattrain company to be about that
as well.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
They're very hard to reach, but I will say that the
city has told me that there isthe money out there allocated to
be able to put a crosswalk.
We just need to, as a community, figure out the best place to
put it.
They said not the train tracks,right, yeah, I guess maybe like
ahead of the Depot, but we'vegot you coming in, we've got the
new Depot diner.
We live here now and we'rehaving people out here and you
(30:54):
know everything else that'sgoing on downtown.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
So it's it's only a matter of time before this is
like a really vibrant hub and wewe want to push toward
connectivity and people beingable to safely go from your
place all the way down to thefarmer's market.
You know, yes, yeah, yeah, I'mall for that.
Yeah, all right.
Well, thanks for being bleedingedge of the the downtown uh
(31:16):
scene and welcome.
All right, that's it for today.
We'll be keeping an eye out forthe grand opening announcement.
Jessica, thank you so much forjoining us today and giving us a
glimpse into what you have comeinto downtown, and thanks to
our listeners for tuning in.
Be sure to follow us on socialmedia for updates and Best in
Co's opening and all the latesthappenings in Zachary.
Huge shout-outs to ourcommunity partners, like Brew
(31:37):
and Breck and the City ofZachary, who stand with us in
our mission to make Zachary aplace where every resident feels
heard and engaged.
Thanks to the generosity andsupport of our community
partners, the magazine, podcastand everything you see online is
possible and free.
The three T's that make upquality of life.
Pick up trash when you see itFoster technology at any expense
(31:57):
.
And if you want to retain thebest talent, we've got to have
an attitude of tolerance towardsthose diverse voices so we can
begin to engage everyone'stalents in our community.
Those diverse voices are thecreative engines that will drive
the future success of oureconomy.
All right, guys, until nexttime.
Bye-bye Now.
If you're out there yellingencore and you're still there
(32:21):
and want a little bit morecommunity unity, we're going to
do a little encore this week.
So, if you know me, I'm a hugemusic lover.
I'm going to pair one of myfavorite songs with a little
guided community inspo session.
If that's not for you, I'mtelling you it's cool If you're
on a run, while you listen, orjust going out about your work
day.
Take a deep breath and enjoy.
(32:42):
Here's Alan Toussaint's versionof Cast your Fates to the wind.
Find a comfortable position,whether seated or standing,
close your eyes, if you'd like,and take a deep breath in and
(33:04):
slowly exhale.
Allow yourself to relax andsettle into this moment and, as
you breathe naturally, pictureyourself strolling or riding in
the heart of Zachary, surroundedby the familiar sights and
sounds of our community.
Feel a connection to the groundbeneath you, the same ground we
(33:28):
all share.
With each breath, think aboutthe people of Zachary, your
neighbors, friends and family.
Picture the places that makeour town special the parks,
schools and local businesses.
(33:48):
Please take a moment toappreciate being a part of this
community.
Let the music guide you to aplace of calm within yourself.
Focus on your breathing, let anytension you may feel start to
(34:09):
fade, allow yourself to feelpeaceful and centered and, as
you continue to relax, thinkabout something you're grateful
for in Zachary.
It could be a person, a placeor a memory.
Hold that thought and imaginesharing that sense of gratitude
(34:33):
and positivity with othersaround you.
Now imagine this feeling ofgoodwill spreading across our
town, bringing people together.
Picture a community whereeveryone feels connected,
supported and valued.
(34:53):
Take one big last deep breathin feeling calm and connected to
Zachary.
When you're ready, gently openyour eyes, carrying this sense
of peace and community with youthroughout your work week, your
weekend or wherever and wheneveryou choose to listen.
(35:16):
Thank you for being a part ofthis community.
Bye-bye now, thank you.
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Dateline NBC
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!