A Letter From The Owner/Group Project 2025

Happy New Year and Hello February,

Is January the longest, weirdest month or is it just me?!? I just wanted to say hello and share some thoughts as we enter a new year. 2024 was our worst year yet and there's no sugarcoating that. 2025 has many new challenges ahead for us all and hoping things get better before they get worse. 

The retail/small business landscape has drastically changed over the last few years. We had our BEST year ever in 2021-2022. Hence why, I decided to open a second location. In fear that I would lose our Little Italy location sooner rather than later, so I had to plan for the future of Stroll. Unfortunately, this last year feels like I took 10 steps backward. I want to be completely transparent with all of you. I am sick to my stomach that every time I open social media, I see another small business announce they’re closing, and all I can think of is that for the first time, that could be me.

I urge you to add “shopping small” to your goals for 2025! Your support is essential for us and many other small businesses to survive. We’re turning 13 in March, which I’m extremely proud of, but worry our years are numbered if business continues down this path. It's a group project and I need everyone’s participation for us and many other small businesses to survive another year in business. 

So why the drastic change in the last couple of years:

-Living expenses and the cost of everything has drastically gone up, BUT Trump said the price of eggs were going to go down … so there’s that!?! Lol 

-Landlord’s are getting top dollar for rent from restaurants and driving the small businesses out.

-Amazon …hey, I’m guilty of wanting things ASAP. But the clothing is just not the same. However, influencers are building their Amazon storefronts, and people are shopping from them vs small boutiques. 

-Clothing rental services. Customers are now investing in paying monthly subscriptions for items they can wear once and exchange for something new.

-New Tariffs. Brands have already started marking up our wholesale prices to prepare for these new tariff fees, which we then charge the customer more to keep up with what’s left of our small margins.

-The SALE/Mark Down Game. Our discounts quadrupled in 2024, killing our profit margins to move products. Holiday sales started in October and went all year. Small business Saturday is nonexistent in this climate.  

Does any of this sound like you? I totally understand that people are busy and people want convenience. Do you think our group project can save the small business retail landscape? I’ve worked in retail for the majority of my life, and this is the worst I have ever seen it. I don’t know if it will ever go back to what it was, but I can’t imagine a world or communities without independent boutiques. But here we are, and that reality is closer than ever!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and listen to me vent! I appreciate you being a customer and supporting my small business over the years. My goal in this email was not to make people feel bad for me, BUT to just bring awareness of what’s going on in my little corner of the world. I'm asking you to consider shopping small in 2025 with me or your favorite boutique!

I would love to partner with any of you who want to collaborate in 2025! Let’s plan and play in 2025! Gotta try all the things…..RIGHT!?! Not going down without a fight! LOL I truly believe that by shopping small, we can help sustain our communities and keep the spirit of local business alive. Let’s work together to make 2025 a year of support and success for everyone!

Wishing you all the best for the New Year,

Katie McCarthy 

Owner and Founder