A Letter From Katie - Celebrating 10 Years

So, it’s been a journey, to say the least. Let’s take a Stroll down memory lane.

 I went to college kicking and screaming because that was what society wanted us all to do. I graduated from SDSU…barely. I graduated with a communications degree and thought I wanted a marketing job, but no one would hire me without experience, so I did what most college graduates do; I started working in a restaurant to start paying off my student loans. A couple of years later I got a job at Nordstrom Horton Plaza….which they just tore down. End of an Era! I worked for Nordstrom for 11 years in San Diego, Hawai’i, and San Francisco. I moved up quickly and made decent money at the time. I learned a lot, spent way too much money on designer things, and got to live in Hawaii! Towards the end of my career, I was very unhappy. I wasn’t getting promoted anymore, I hated managing people, I felt like I didn't have a life outside of work, and to top it all off the man of my dreams left me. The life I worked so hard to get was over in a blink of an eye. I was lost once again.

I knew I wanted to start my own business but had no idea what. I wanted to combine my love of travel and fashion in one. I started seeing the mobile trend in SF and thought to myself “I CAN TOTALLY DO THAT!" I took a trip back to Hawai’i to cry on the beach and try to gather myself but somehow ended up scrolling on eBay where I used the $5,000 my stepdad left me to buy a 1985 Stepvan truck. I called my mom and asked them to go pick it up in LA, she thought I had lost my mind! I started my business with that 5K and then opened a business CC for another 5K! So it's possible to take what you have and take a chance on yourself!!

Stop Shop and Roll 2013-2015 (Fashion Truck on Wheels) SF-SD 

March 15th, 2013 was the first day I opened. I set the truck up in my parents' driveway and invited all my Bakersfield friends to come by. It was so fun! I then made the journey back to Oakland where I was living. I parked that truck anywhere I could and signed up for all the markets/events! I loved the bay area, but it just didn't feel like home anymore. It was too cold and the past just kept strolling by. So I packed my things and drove back to sunny San Diego. I tried starting a traveling mobile fashion truck market (The Urban Mobile Market) with other mobile businesses (IT FAILED).

I sold Stop Shop Roll and closed in 2015.

I opened STROLL in 2014 and have moved it on India Street 3 times! Following, I opened STROLL HOME in 2017 but closed in 2020.

STROLL’s sister location in Banker’s Hill opened in 2019 and stayed open for six months but due to break-ins and vandalism then COVID-19 we had to close. Our most recent pop-up was our Stroll Home Holiday Shop that opened in 2021 and closed in 2022.

I have survived all that … PLUS throw in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC, people not wanting to work, and inflation. WHO SAID THINGS WILL GET EASIER?!?!

I am very proud of what I have accomplished and at the end of the day, I have built a successful business. I am a one-woman show, I am HR, I am the social media manager, I am the buyer, I am the merchandiser, I am the handywoman, I am the bad tech manager, I am the event planner, I am the stylist, I am shipping and receiving, I am the BOSS LADY!Some of my best memories are of ALL of YOU! I could not be me without ALL of YOU! I have met some amazing people along the way and have seen families grow over the years in the shop. I want to cry tears of JOY…I made it this far!

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting Captain and I be in your life. We have enjoyed dressing you for all your occasions, picking out the perfect gifts for all your loved ones, and welcoming little miracles in this crazy world. Thank you for being on my journey with me. Thank you for all your purchases big and small. Thank you to all my current and past employees that stand by me as I chase my dreams. Not sure what is next, but I’m always manifesting a larger location and waking up to 100s of online orders.

THANK YOU ALL FOR STROLLING WITH ME!

Sincerely,

Katie