The Time Has Come
Well my friends, the time has come. I am at a crossroads in my life and I desperately need a change. For many months now I've been trying to figure out what that looks like. I've come to the conclusion that I need to simplify my life and choose a new career path--one with less instability. The problem is that I signed a 5-year lease which makes a career change extremely difficult.
It has been a tumultuous year full of so many emotions. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE what DART Boutique has become and I hate to abandon it. From my small basement shop, to our retail store in Tea, to the current location in Sioux Falls, it has been a fantastic journey full of highs and lows. I've poured my entire heart and spirit into DART which makes this decision the most difficult I've ever had to make. It is not going to be easy to transition out of business ownership, but it's time.
I am looking at a few options for the next steps in this process. Ideally, I would love to find someone (or a group) to buy DART Boutique in its current state and continue to expand on what I've built. DART is so much more than just a clothing and gift shop. It's a place where everyone can come to find joy. It's a community of wonderful women who support each other and encourage each other. Our community needs a store like DART and I truly believe that it can succeed for many years to come.
The foundation has been set, processes are in place, the store is set-up and ready for a new owner to come in and hit the ground running. I've done the hard work of building the brand from nothing. I'm hoping to find a new owner who believes in our mission and wants to capitalize on what I've built over the past 5.5 years.
The next option would be to find another business to sublease my retail space. If that happens, I would close the retail store and downgrade the business to online-only.
If neither of these scenarios happens, I will continue to plug along for the next 2 years until the lease is up. Most businesses that are up for sale or sublease do so privately. I have always been forward and honest about the highs and lows of owning a business. I wanted to be upfront but also try to get the word out to anyone who might be interested in buying my business or subleasing my space.
If anyone reading this is interested in continuing the legacy of DART Boutique, I would be happy to help make the transition a smooth process. Heck, I'd even work part-time in the shop!
With publishing this post, my secret is out. Feel free to share this information with anyone who might be interested! Here is the link to the sublease listing from the broker that I hired: https://vbclink.com/
Of course, I'll keep you all posted as things develop. In the meantime, I have an entire collection of new Fall/Winter items ready to roll out and business will go on as normal. Thank you for your understanding and support over the years! I appreciate you all!
-Leslie Dolby
(Current) Owner of DART Boutique
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