We filled a 500 square foot store with wares from local makers, food artisans, and independent crafters. Once shopping centers got wind of our concept, they asked us to bring our corner of the “shop local” movement to the mall. What started as a fallback venture grew to a 6-location retail chain across Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. We grounded our expanding presence with an in-house apparel brand called The Direction.

I had a hand in nearly every area of our stores including store operations, employees, growth, product selection, social media, and merchandising. This cross-functional work experience and a steady stream of accolades bolstered my support and growing reputation in Columbus.