Dawn Librach opened Rewind Couture Revisited right out of school and had to scale up to a store four times the size of the original within one year. Her success stemmed from her background in the industry. She had learned the tricks of the shopping and resale trade from her grandmother, and quickly identified a niche for the store that would help it stand out from the crowd.
“We do a highly curated collection, so we’re very selective in terms of brands and styles we accept,” she says. “At Rewind, it’s really a one-on-one experience, so we always try to make sure every customer leaves with an outfit they can feel good about.”
Librach says that prior to COVID-19, she and the team would visit people’s closets and offer cash in exchange for the pieces that caught her eye, but during the pandemic she’s had to pivot her business model to take a virtual approach.
“Before, we had more customers in store, but now we really utilize our Instagram, which people love in comparison to a website because it’s instant,” she says. “We only have one of each item, so we mark it on our Instagram that if you want it, you have to call in right away to get it. In some months, we’ve actually been busier than before the pandemic.”
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Librach says her passion for resale fashion stems from the element of sustainability it brings, but also because resale items are often much higher quality than what you’d find in a fast fashion outlet. She says she’s seeing a huge uptick in this style of shopping, and she would encourage anyone who’s passionate about resale to pursue it as a career or side hustle.
“Especially the way the world is right now, everyone is shopping resale,” she says. “Always follow your dreams and if you have a passion, you should go for it.”
Visit Rewind Couture Revisited at 577 Mt. Pleasant Rd.