Welcome to The Forum’s Business Owner Highlight Series! Meet our incredible business owners through these insightful interviews sharing how their business originated, its specialties, and personal anecdotes. Enjoy!
1. What is your full name, title, and the name of your business?
Caroline Dunham & Morgan Lashley – Vestique Owners
2. What is the background story of your business? What was it that inspired you to start it?
Morgan and I love affordable fashion and felt the market was lacking an affordable online boutique. We launched vestique.com out of a spare bedroom 10 years ago and now have 10 brick and mortar locations and a strong e-commerce business.
3. What does your business specialize in?
Women’s everyday clothing and accessories at prices that won’t break the bank.
4. What brings you the greatest joy in managing/owning this business?
Seeing happy customers! We love helping our shoppers find that perfect look for their upcoming events, it makes all the hard stuff with owning a business worth it.
5. What’s one fun fact about your business that most people don’t know about?
It was founded by two NC State grads who got $5000 loans from each set of parents. The loans were paid back within 6 months and the company has been debt-free since that day. We were just a couple of young girls who loved cute clothes and wanted to bring them to the masses.
6. Why do you believe it’s important to shop local?
Some of these local small shops won’t survive the Coronavirus without the support of our customers. Sadly, a lot of these businesses don’t have tons of money saved up to survive month to month. It’s important now more than ever to support and shop with your favorite local businesses to help them stay afloat during these difficult times.