Hey everyone! As I mentioned in a What I Listened To the other week, I recently got an internship at a pop-up consignment shop near me. You see, I really like thrifting and consignment shopping, so my Mom knew to send me an article about the pop-up shop (called Ari’s Closet) coming to us. That day I was feeling very inspired by my Hamilton music, so I actually decided to email the women who owned the business and ask her if she had any job openings or would like an intern.
Before sending my email, I googled the woman (which is a good business practice), I tweaked my resume to keep it updated, and I created a business email address, because my usual personal email was getting a bit crowded. I then ran everything over with my Mom, and made sure that I would be able to work, and that my email and resume were acceptable. I have attached the email I sent (with a few fill in the blanks), just in case you ever do something similar!
The woman responded to me that day saying that she was interested in talking to me on the phone either that day or the next day. Of course I immediately freaked out and did some more googling, as well as brainstorming what she could possibly ask me. She ended up not calling until the day after, so I had a little more time to prepare myself. The conversation was pretty simple, and while she told me her insurance only covered her working in the store, she would check about an intern. As I was over the age of 18, the insurance was fine, so I sent her my availability before the store opened and told her that I was available every day except for one once the store was up and running.
I ended up going in Friday, the day before the store was set to open, and I met my new boss at the store space where I put tags on almost every item that was to be put out initially. We also dressed the mannequins which was a lot of fun, and I hung everything up and started to write prices on the tags before going home. That day I worked for five and a half hours, and my boss and I chatted and got to know each other.
The next day I went in an hour before the store opened and stayed for five hours. I continued to tag, price, and hang pieces, with some added steaming and spraying thrown in there too. When business was slow in the beginning, I suggesting having someone model, so they could post on their Instagram and attract business. Because we had wanted someone to model right then, my boss suggested I do it, and she then put the photos on her Instagram for people to see and purchase from there! The day was a lot of fun, and I was really enjoying watching the brand unfold.
I ended up not working on Sunday because the store wasn’t busy and I was going to go in later, but I went in Monday, which was more of the same, except this time my boss bought me cookies when she went to get her lunch, which was super nice. I also dropped off packages at the post office on my way home, as the store was in person and on Poshmark.
I wasn’t available Tuesday, so the next day I went in was Wednesday, where I did a Staples run before work for the store. I also went to Barnes and Nobles (which was very close to the store) to buy a notepad for my boss, and did some more package drop off after work. My boss bought me lunch that day which was so nice as well, although it was interesting to get everything into the car upon leaving – the packages were very big and I had my leftover avocado toast and cherry steamer to worry about too! Thursday was a bit more exciting because I had asked my friend who was interested in becoming a model if she wanted to come model for the store, so she came in which made work extra fun. Lastly, that day I built accessory stands, so I can now say I am proficient at IKEA furniture building!
Friday I did another Staples run, and my model friend came to the store again. Before she came I made another accessories rack and sorted a lot of clothing in the back, which hopefully made things easier for my boss once I was no longer there. You see, the store had extended for an extra week, and I was going to be away that week, so my boss wouldn’t have an extra set of hands. I had actually tried to get a replacement, but eventually my boss said she didn’t want anyone but me which was very sweet. My friend came later in the day and did some more modeling, and I did a little too! We then left together as we were having a night out on the town, which was related to the store because my friend had actually bought two dresses from Ari’s Closet, and she wore one that night!
The following day was my last day, so I did some more back-room organizing, and some final tagging before saying goodbye. It was sad to go, but it was a great experience, and I learned a lot about running a business! I learned about renting a space, modern cash registers, how to do payouts, and how to control inventory and buy supplies while staying in the green.
You may ask, Leann, how on earth did you fare inside a consignment shop without buying everything? Well, I will say that my boss gave me one item for free, so long as it wasn’t crazy expensive, and I bought two other items with a 20% discount. There were a bunch of really nice things that I liked like an adorable Les Copains sweater with tennis players on it, but I didn’t want to pay over $200 for it, so I decided to not buy it. I hope it finds a good home though! If not, maybe I will splurge…
Anyway, while I was away the next week, my boss texted me and asked if I would be willing to tag some more items from my house or hers when I got back. I gladly accepted and tagged two giant bags full of clothes, however this time, I got to decide on the prices myself, which was interesting. My boss had said everything in the bags would be between five and twenty dollars, so that was a good guideline, but there were a lot of factors to consider, like brand, condition, fabric, attractiveness, and what I would pay for it. I texted my boss for a few items, including a Michael Kors wallet that was clearly in the wrong bag, but overall I think that went well. I dropped the clothes back off, and that has been the end of my internship! A few days after that, my boss did text me again and asked if I could do some Poshmark uploads, but I wasn’t going to be around, so I politely declined.
In all, it was a great experience, and it is nice to know that if I ever need a good recommendation letter, that my boss would be willing to write one. Additionally, my boss ended up paying me a stipend which was very nice given that I worked about 30 hours for her! Lastly, I have worn the dress I bought no less than three times in the last month, so I am especially grateful for that outcome of the internship! I give my thanks to my boss for being willing to ‘hire’ a random college student, and for being a great boss, and I think my interning worked out well for both of us! The whole experience showed me what you can achieve with a little bravery, as putting yourself out there isn’t always the easiest, but I am so very glad that I did!
If you are interested in following or shopping at the store, the Instagram is @arielle.hallersilverstone, and my boss gives updates on items and location from there.
Here is the email I sent too: Internship Email – good luck if you decide to reach out to someone in a similar fashion!
Leann I Am 