Today we’d like to introduce you to Mollie Lajoie.
Hi Mollie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started my journey as a business owner straight out of college as it was something I knew I was made for. The bridal industry always had a place in my heart, because who doesn’t love looking at beautiful gowns all day? I decided to combine my love for bridal with my desire to own a business and my dream slowly came together. I spent months getting everything set up, gowns ordered, and a storefront designed. Then about four weeks before our opening, COVID shut down the world. My plans were delayed week by week until a year had passed and I waited patiently for some sort of normalcy to return. The gowns I ordered were now two seasons behind and I felt stuck. My chances of getting the small business loan I had prepared for were non-existent because no bank was going to risk helping a small business open during such trying times. Was it worth it continuing on with the uncertainty? Could I afford to keep floating my business that I haven’t even been able to open yet? The answer was no.
After 14 months of waiting for things to go back to normal, I decided to put my dream on a shelf until the world was not in such an unpredictable time.
In the fall of 2021, me and my soon-to-be husband, Jared, welcomed a sweet baby boy into our world. While I was home with him on maternity leave, I had a lot of time to put together plans on what my next move was going to be with a pending bridal salon. A spark inside of me and endless support from Jared said it was time to pick my dreams back up off the drawing board and pivot. Shop the Back Bay was then born; an online women’s boutique that was size and style inclusive!
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?
The adventure leading up to the opening of Shop the Back Bay was anything but a smooth road. What used to be a plan for a bridal salon pivoted to a size-inclusive women’s clothing boutique. I worked tirelessly for months getting everything set up for a bridal salon to open. I poured my time, energy, motivation, and savings into opening something that was shut down overnight due to COVID.
As countless business owners know, this time was so challenging for many people in different ways. Businesses who had been operating for fifty years were going under, and others struggled to stay afloat for almost two years. People were losing jobs, and more importantly their loved ones. I felt humbled in a sense that my losses were minimal compared to what others suffered during the pandemic.
In addition, during this time we also lost an important figure in my life, my grandfather, who was a great businessman. I remember the last few months of him being with us we spent a lot of time talking about business and I was able to gain invaluable knowledge about operating my own business. I took that grief and used it to relight the spark inside of me to continue working on my dream.
After two years of navigating the uncertain waters of COVID, I decided to change my plan to something that would stand stronger against other pandemic-like situations like an online-only boutique.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Shop the Back Bay is a size and style inclusive online women’s boutique. We pride ourselves in being able to offer sizes XXS – 4XL in many styles to offer flattering, comfortable, and chic looks for women at budget-friendly prices. We are also in the process of opening a children’s boutique; check us out on IG @shopthebackbaybaby to stay in the loop!
The thing I am most proud of is being able to work with vendors who share the same values as we do at Shop the Back Bay. We are only interested in working with vendors who manufacture their clothing in an ethical and environmentally friendly way. What’s additionally exciting is the way our business model is set up to include an array of sizes.
We are also able to launch new arrivals three days a week and offer free shipping on orders over $100!
What sets us apart from other brands though, is our commitment to giving back. For the month of October, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness, a percentage of our sales are donated in memory of a dear friend, and role-model Tessa who courageously battled breast cancer for two years. For the month of November, we direct the same portion of sales to the Doris Hatch Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research in memory of my future mother-in-law. It is our goal to be able to not only build a successful brand but also help as many people along the way.
What’s next?
We have big, big plans for our future! While we always wish to stay an online boutique, we would love to eventually open storefronts in the Gulch, and also in other cities, specifically Boston, Dallas, and Ft. Lauderdale just to name a few!
Shop the Back Bay Baby is also another project we are working on! This will include girl and boy clothing starting as small as newborn up to 5T to also provide an array of styles while staying budget-friendly.
To keep up with our plans, be sure to follow us on social media to be the first to know!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@shopthebackbay.com
- Website: www.shopthebackbay.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/shopthebackbay
- Facebook: facebook.com/shopthebackbay
- Other: tiktok.com/@shopthebackbay
Image Credits
Tiffany Chapman Photography
