Today we’d like to introduce you to Lola & Yemi Olufolabi.
Hi Lola & Yemi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We started Exotique because of our love of the arts and our belief that artisans should be paid fairly for their work. We were living in Chapel Hill at the time, but Yemi works at Duke. We saw a listing for a store for sell downtown. It was the store next door to where Exotique is located. As we were waiting for someone to show us around, a woman walked out of 319 W Main St, asked us what we were doing, and then said, ‘I’m also selling my store, come inside and look around’. We walked in and the rest is history. 20 years ago America had less access to African art and culture than it does now. We were excited to share our culture and other cultures we had experienced in our travels with Durham. We knew nothing of running a retail business and learned a lot as we went along. We originally were called Exotique: Fabrics & Gifts but two shifts changed the directory of our store. First, we started selling clothes in addition to fabric. Second, local artists started walking into our store, looking for a place to display their art. As we started collecting artwork from artists from the Triangle and aboard, we transformed the back half of the store into a gallery. Now we are Exotique: Boutique & Gallery. We are very thankful that the Durham community embraced us and has been so loyal over the years. They have kept us a float through hard times.
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?
When we opened, there was barely anything in downtown Durham. However, the very few business that did exist were close knit. We went to each other’s events and kept each other updated about the ongoings in the downtown community. We believe that the intimacy between downtown Durham businesses still exists today and that is what makes Durham special. After we opened the business in 2006, the two events that caused us the biggest financial strain was the financial crash of ’08 and the Covid pandemic in 2020. Many businesses did not make it through those years. We were lucky to have other careers that helped keep the store afloat and also, during 2020, a loyal customer base. Another struggle we had was losing artists, whether it’s because of business or personal reasons, it was always upsetting. As much as we wanted all our partnerships to work out, sometimes our store was not the right fit for their art or product. Sometimes they would get sick, move, etc and restocking their items would become inconsistent or we would lose contact with them. Maintaining partnerships and communication with artists was one of the biggest learning curves in our business. A recent lesson we have learned is that we must continue working hard to promote the store. In the beginning, we would attend festivals & shows, host events, connect with the universities and more. All to make our presence known to the community. However, the community continues to evolve. People move out, new people move in. We need to restart our campaign and introduce ourselves to the new residents, and also some original locals. To this day, someone who has lived in Durham for 20-30 years will walk into the store for the first time.
We’ve been impressed with Exotique: Boutique & Gallery, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our belief, that artisans should be paid fairly for their work, guides our business. We work directly with artists and with fair trade NGOs. In Nigeria, we have seen lots of amazing art in the markets from artists who can barely feed themselves and their families. This is relevant all over the world. Therefore anytime we travel, we want to create economic opportunities for artists we encountered. We have supported artisans from at least a dozen countries including Chile, India, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mexico, Guatemala, and more. The majority of our art is from West Africa, where we have the most connections. It is especially gratifying to sell items from home because we can share more details about the products like the meaning behind symbols or colors, which festival a painting is depicting, or the history of a fabric and what occasions we usually wear it to.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
A great location that fits your business goes a long way. Being in the right place (at the right time) is a trite phrase but always relevant! You want direct access to your clientele. With technology catering to a stay-at-home lifestyle, it’s much harder to get people into your brick & mortar. Eliminate as many obstacles as you can that make it hard or inconvenient for a customer to visit. Once you have a customer in your store, take advantage of the opportunity to make their experience memorable. It is the relationship with customers that makes small businesses unique and keeps customers devoted to a business. Make sure to listen to your customer’s requests and preferences and lastly, appreciate your staff because they are face of the business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theexotique.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exotiquedurham/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exotiquedurham
