Growing, Growing, Growing

There have been many big developments at Follain over the past few months!  We had a successful second pop-up store in Washington, DC last April…we just opened a store on Nantucket…we’ve brought some incredible new team members on board…and we’re about to launch an e-commerce store!  Many friends and followers have asked to learn more about our thought process and staging of these moves, so here's an explanation!

As you know from an earlier post on the background of Follain, this concept has been in the making for 5+ years.  The idea was born in a previous life—when I was living in NYC, working a corporate job, and trying to get healthy...then learned about all the nasty chemicals in my beloved beauty products.  After years of hard work—in business school, skincare manufacturing, and lavender farming, of all places—the first Follain store was brought to life in Boston’s South End, last July 2013.  I always had the goal of changing the gigantic, detritus beauty industry for the better, and I always knew this change was not—and would never be—an easy task.  The task was daunting, to say the least, yet the moment I opened the store, I was overwhelmed by the number of supporters, customers and new friends that emerged!  I immediately knew that there were enough people out there who might be willing to embrace Follain, and help us change the beauty industry for good!

So, as my favorite Winnie the Pooh quote goes:

“You can’t stand in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you.  You have to go to them sometimes.”  

We’re trying to reach people, and trying to make a big change in the beauty industry.  This can't be done with just one store alone.

So, with only our earnings from the South End store to support us, we decided that the best way to introduce Follain to more people was through pop-up shops.  We began in DC, because the customers there are similar to our beloved Bostonians—highly educated, passionate, and ready to embrace change!  I'm also from DC originally, so it was fun to visit (and convert) friends and family members in that city.  Now we are two successful DC pop-ups in, and incredibly excited about the prospect of opening a full-time store there one day.

Then, I began thinking back to last summer—when I was jealous of every other Bostonian’s travel plans.  Weekends, weeks...many of our Boston customers even spend the entire summer outside of the city!  So we decided to join them—with the hopes of meeting some interesting new friends along the way, too!  This is when the idea for Follain Nantucket was born.  The store is open now, and will be through Columbus Day.  We hope to introduce many newbies to healthy beauty this summer, and maybe—just maybe—they will continue to follow us on our soon-to-launch e-commerce website!

This new e-commerce website was a real challenge for me at first.  I had always resisted opening an e-commerce store, due to my passion for in-store education and product experience, yet once the phone orders started rolling into the store daily…I knew we were being presented with another big opportunity to serve people healthy products.  Just like our brick & mortar stores, our e-commerce site will be basic and beautiful.  It will help you find the best healthy beauty products available, customized for your skin. 

I don't know exactly what developments will come next, but I will tell you this:  NONE of our progress to date would have been possible without amazing friends, supporters, and team members...like YOU!  Please keep the store ideas, product suggestions, and visits coming!  I so appreciate your love and support, and always love hearing from you.  

Until next time!

XO,

Tara