Buying a Truck for a Mobile Boutique...
Where did this idea come from?! So, when I first opened Dot + Dash it was always the goal to have a traveling boutique. Something that allowed me to take most of my store on the road. Pop up events are so popular + fun to do, but if I am being 100% transparent, they are A TON of work. There is no easy way to get your clothes from your racks/shelves in your store to your car. Then you have to take them out of your car + set them up in a cute pop-up way at the event to just be there for 2-5 hours + do it all over again. Now, I am not saying I do not like pop up events, I absolutely LOVE them!! You are typically doing events with other vendors, so it is a great way to network + expand your circle, in addition, you get an opportunity to meet so many people. I am a bit of a social butterfly. Now, because I enjoy doing pop ups so much, I knew that I needed to find a better solution. Enter DOTTIE…
Again, this was something I had always wanted to do EVENTUALLY, but right after a pandemic it was not on the radar by any means. Plus I knew it was not going to be an inexpensive task + how do you even renovate a truck into a boutique? So many questions + concerns come along with all my crazy ideas. But, one day I was just doing my daily scroll on Instagram + I came across a boutique in a different town that was selling a traveling boutique! WIN, WIN, right?!?! It was the right price + it was already a functional mobile boutique!! I can’t say no to that! Needless to say, we made the 2-hour drive to check out the truck + I was convinced that I was bringing this thing home with me.
I am the type of person that when I have exciting opportunities come up, I don’t tell anyone or talk about. I usually will bring it up to my immediate family, but it does not go past that, as I do not want to “jinx” anything. Well, this time I was so excited, I broke my own rule! Not only did I tell my immediate family, but I told a handful of close friends + even teased a bit on my Dot + Dash Instagram story. Again, I was convinced this thing was coming home with me… We got to the truck + it Is just not right. Zach (my fiancé) put an end to the idea, he hated breaking my heart, but we both knew in the end it was the right call to make.
So, now I am not only not coming home with a truck, but I also have to keep talking about how I am not having a mobile boutique with multiple people, because I broke my own rule. I told people about it… See, I jinxed the situation. Well, now like any mature 33-year-old with a random idea + dream that was destroyed, I pouted! + when I say I pouted, I don’t just mean for the ride home, I mean for multiple days. Now, this is very out of character for me, I am the type of person that when something goes wrong, I dwell on it for a short period + then spring into action to find a solution. I just could not get this idea out of my head, so I couldn’t let go of my disappointed feelings. Zach + I talked about this mobile boutique so much, + of course I was hoping he was scouring the internet to provide me with a solution, but that didn’t happen, haha. He finally said, “just keep looking + find another one.” So, that is what I did!!!
I spent hours + hours looking online for different bread trucks, buses, trailers, anything + everything that I thought could be turned into a mobile boutique. That is ALL I did, forget my regular Instagram scroll, I was only looking at eBay, Facebook Marketplace, local car lots to find my mobile boutique.
THEN – I found A COUPLE!! What? Nothing for so long + now there are a couple, I quickly shoot them over to Zach to look at + he said one definitely had potential – in Peoria, just over 3 hours away. So, one Sunday, rainy morning we hopped in the truck + headed to look at a potential – cash in hand. We get there + I instantly fall in love, it had the cutest little lights, it looked like it was in great condition, the seller had multiple dogs, so obviously trustworthy! The seller went on to tell us that his wife makes homemade dog treats + was going to turn it into a truck to sell her treats out of, but with their kids + full time jobs, nothing ever came to fruition. We hopped in the truck + took it for a little drive. I sit there patiently + quietly waiting for Zach’s feedback on how it rides, sounds, handles + everything else you are supposed to check when purchasing a car. He is silent, very silent. He is driving looking at me, messing with different knobs, button, etc. + I wait…
I finally broke the silence from what felt like forever, but I am sure was only a couple minutes + asked him what he thought. ALL GOOD NEWS!! He said it was in great shape, it handled well + wanted to know if I wanted it. Of course, at this point I am thinking, “oh man, what am I getting myself into? Can I handle this task? Another responsibility on my already overflowing plate? Can I afford to do this right now?” I mean, all the doubt came flooding in + I got a bit anxious. But, if there is anything I know about myself, it is that I thrive when I am busy, so I tell him YES, I want it!We go back to the house + work with the seller to get all the necessary paperwork signed + go back out to the truck. Zach obviously knows that he is going to have to drive this beast home + I will drive the truck... It was a great first test! She handled so well, + made it back to Cedar Rapids with no issues, just a lot of gas, haha! On the way home, I of course was doing nothing but thinking of a name, because that is the priority + since she would soon be Dot + Dash’s mobile boutique, it only made sense that she was named “Dottie.” So, I have the truck for a mobile boutique, now what….
Also, for those wondering... I did not tell anyone about looking at the second truck. I was not making that mistake twice.
To be continued…
