Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Leffler.
Hi Becky, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Duluth, MN. I loved the lake and fell in love with the Ocean upon my first visit at age 18. I have a husband and 3 children and spent 30 years in the field of commercial real estate. My happy place was the Marco Island Hilton and dreamed of opening a boutique with the smell of ocean and styles of the south and east coast. Upon retirement, and the coaxing of my daughter, Abbey, I opened a small boutique in my hometown of Prior lake,. The name was Sweet Nautical (delightful sea). Growing up modestly, I didn’t always feel good about how I looked. When helping someone smile when they look in the mirror, makes me happy. Our second store opened approximately 2 years later in another lake town of Excelsior. The challenge of finding a store manager was quickly answered when I watched my daughter-in-law Dana shop with my son. She was patient, detailed, and noticed the “quilted topstitching”. I had the leader of our second store.
Our new store is located in the Galleria, Edina MN. I can’t say that I dreamed of this because it is bigger than my dreams. When I turn the corner and walk to my front door, next to Vineyard Vines I can’t believe it is mine. We named this store Sweet Ivy. The fashion is classic, timeless, with bold southern colors and East coast vibes. We source from multiple vendors so the store offers fresh weekly looks.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our Excelsior store opened just several months before the covid shut down. Our customers did all they could to buy our inventory at cost and help us through but financially, it was difficult. Our lease was expiring in Prior Lake so we closed that location in order to save one. Inventory, too much, too little, is always the biggest challenge. If you want to make $1M, you have to spend “the right” $500k.
Supply chain management hasn’t been too much of a challenge as much of our goods are sourced in Canada and the USA.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sweet Ivy provides curated styles from head to toe. Our bags and shoes coordinate with several apparel options. All of us have purchased one style item and then found out we have nothing to coordinate with it at home. Putting the entire look together is not always easy, but at Sweet Ivy, we will have an entire look available, including jewelry, hats, outerwear, shoes and apparel. Approximately 25 percent of our store offers Barefoot Dreams, Elegant Baby and giftables for friends and family.
Sweet Ivy sources from multiple vendors, many from USA and Canada, so the styles and options change weekly. There is always something new.
Our brands include Tyler Boe, Barefoot Dreams, Spartina 449, Pendleton, Tribal, Southern Tide, Bernardo 449, Stivali, Gabriella Ephram.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My faith and my family matter the most to me. Providing a wonderful shopping experience for my customers.
I have always loved to work and creating this alongside my daughters and making people happy is quite fulfilling.
Contact Info:
- Website: shopsweetnautical.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/shop.sweet.ivy
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sweetnautical
Image Credits
Emily John Photography
