Exploring Life & Business with Angie Gleason of Bevē Boutiques

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Gleason.

Hi Angie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been in the Nashville tourism industry since 2012. I’ve been extremely blessed to have amazing opportunities working with some amazing guys, including my husband, on other tours in Nashville. This is the first tour experience that I’ve taken the lead on and have absolutely loved jumping into the world of boutiques and female owned businesses!

A couple of years ago, one of my business partners had the idea of a shopping tour. We saw something similar in Austin, TX but I wasn’t quite on board with what they were doing. It was more of shuttling people around and just reminded me too much of a hop on/off experience. I told him if we were to do something like this in Nashville, I would want it to be focused around boutiques and a higher-end experience.

As I started researching and observing the different neighborhoods and the groups of girls shopping, I quickly saw there was a unique need for something like Bevē. So many groups are sticking to just one neighborhood or having to Uber or Lyft around town. I also asked a lot of local friends how & where they shop and any difficulties they have shopping near or around downtown. Transportation & parking was the most difficult part I found between both locals and tourists.

Though transportation was a strong need, I didn’t want to stop there. I wanted to create something that I would personally spend my own money on. If I were to organize a shopping experience with my girlfriends, I would want everyone to feel catered to and be comfortable spoiling ourselves. I don’t want anyone to have to make all the decisions of where to go and just be dropped off and picked up by a driver. That’s where the curating and hostessing comes in. I host them from beginning to end. I curate every experience to fit the style and budget of our guests so they feel every dollar spent is absolutely worth it. I escort them to-and-from each boutique and assist them in any needs they may have. I open the doors for them. I assist them up to the counter to be sure they are receiving their discounts from our partners. Every little detail matters and shows them that I am truly there to provide them the best shopping experience possible.

Being comfortable in the transportation was also extremely important to me. As I said, I didn’t want our guests to feel as though they are just being shuttled around town. I wanted them to feel as special as they are. Our custom bus was designed to enjoy comfort & class. I wanted a trendy living room feel with tables, pillows, rug, cute signage etc. I wanted them to be able to enjoy a charcuterie board and some drinks, while listening to music and hanging with their girls.

Lastly, another important factor in the Bevē experience was developing relationships with our Featured Partner Boutiques and their team. I absolutely love supporting all of the female owned businesses and it has been an honor getting to know them. They also appreciate that I escort the groups into their establishment and stay with them. It shows that I care about both their business as much as our guests.

I’m absolutely loving being a part of the female business community in Nashville. I’ve had a lot of support and ladies cheering me on. I’ve never felt as excited about building something as I have with Bevē and I can’t wait to see where she goes!

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?
Definitely not! Bevē came to mind pre-covid. Just as we were about to really set things in stone and purchase a bus, Covid hit. As everyone who owns or runs a business knows, it was scary. We had no clue how long things would be shut down and come back to life again.

However, since we had a lot of down time, it was actually a blessing because we were able to focus on developing the concept and spend more time on it. Finding a good bus and an outfitter was a long process. Once we finally had a bus and an outfitter, materials were extremely difficult to get because again, Covid. Once the bus build out started progressing, the outfitter had to shut down for 2 weeks because they all got Covid. A project that should’ve taken maybe 6-8 weeks, turned into over 12 weeks.

Once we got the bus, I thought for sure business would just take off since there was nothing like it. I was wrong. I’ve been very spoiled by our other businesses getting quick traction but this one wasn’t. I started networking more. I started offering promo tours. I’ve partnered with marketing teams. I’ve been talking with influencers. I had to reset my mind as though I had no tour experience before. I’m learning more than I ever have and appreciating any bumps or road blocks that make me work harder or look at things differently than I have before.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Bevē Boutiques is a custom boutique shopping experience in Nashville and surrounding areas. We customize every experience to fit the group’s style and budget. We offer both private and public tours. Every experience is 3 hours and can host up to 13 people.

We have multiple Featured Boutique Partners who offer our guests discounts while shopping. Our current Featured Partners are Living With Landyn, KITTENISH, REVV, Vinnie Louise, Winky Lux, SVM Boutique, Sercy + Co and L.A. Green. We also partner with VICI in offering our guests a Private Shopping Party. We have another exciting partner we will be announcing soon that offers something extremely unique not just for shopping, but for Nashville.

Our guests are welcome to bring in food and drinks to enjoy during their tour. I will assist our guests in pre-ordering a charcuterie & cheese board, drinks etc. Everything will be ready for them on the bus prior to arrival.

We are also age friendly! Our guests do not have to be 18+, 21+ etc. Bevē is a great option for a teenage birthday party for some shopping, coffee and mural pics. We can customize pretty much anything. We have also been curating private evening events for some guests and will continue to expand that as a feature as well.

I am most proud of our brand because there is nothing like it in Nashville or any other city. Customization is everything and that is my highest priority for Bevē and our guests to truly feel special. Other cities have shopping tours but not as custom as Bevē.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I also create a personal home shopping experience where we will work with our guests favorite boutiques and hand pick items based on their style, size & budget, and bring to their home for a shopping party. This is a great option for those who may not want to trek into Nashville or want something even more private in the comfort of their home.

Pricing:

• Private Group Experience $500
• Public Group Experience $50/person

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.beveboutiques.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beveboutiques/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beveboutiques
• Other: https://linktr.ee/beveboutiques

Image Credits
Ryan Root BachWeekend