Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory Kendall.
Hi Mallory, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always had a love of fashion and decorating that started as a young girl playing dress up and rearranging my childhood bedroom. That innate passion morphed into drawing house plans (for fun), and helping my friends with their outfits and makeup over the years. In college, I had a job at a local boutique while working towards my degree in Apparel Merchandising. I loved that job, and was able to see some of the behind-the-scenes of running a boutique. I planned to pursue a job at the Atlanta Apparel Market out of college, but met my husband the summer before my senior year and so my plans changed! After starting our family and spending a decade working in the insurance industry with my family, I decided I would never be able to “get over” the dream of opening my own store, so I started planning. For several years, I searched for the perfect spot, and even hosted a pop-up shop once under a different business name. After putting the dream on pause again for another year or so, I happened to come across a Facebook posting about a retail space opening up. As soon as I saw the exposed brick walls of the 100+ year old building, I was sold. I toured the space the next day, and signed the lease two days after! Those next few months were a whirlwind, but incredibly thrilling to be making this dream happen after so many years of curating it in my mind. We officially opened for business on August 15th, 2025!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not at first. I tried to “make it happen” on multiple occasions, and in different variations. It truly did not work out until it was the right timing. So cliche, but timing really is everything. Once that timing was right, everything just fell into place easily. Within this first year of business, there have been many parts that have come very naturally to me, but then there are other instances that have been a major learning curve.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
American Reverie is a lifestyle boutique selling fine goods for your home + wardrobe. We name our curated collections after “reveries” (aka: daydreams) throughout the year. We love helping women discover (or rediscover) their personal style, and helping them feel their best through their wardrobe. We offer personal styling sessions at our store, and those one-on-one consultations have been a highlight of this experience. I love helping others feel beautiful and confident by showing them the most flattering way to style according to their body. Fashion is FUN, and I love sharing that journey with others.
I am so proud of the relationships we have built with our customers. I adore the opportunity I am given each week to meet new people, but the feeling of having “regulars” at the business I built is such a surreal thing.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Come shop in-person with us and also explore our incredible downtown area in Goldsboro, North Carolina. We are located at 104 E. Mulberry Street, Goldsboro NC 27530! You can visit us online at www.americanreverie.co, where we share our newsletters, blogs, and more. Our online shopping will be launching within the next few weeks, so you will be able to shop our curated reveries! You can also follow along on Instagram @american.reverie to see our newest arrivals, behind-the-scenes at our shop, and also find out about other happenings in our amazing small town!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.americanreverie.co
- Instagram: @american.reverie
- Facebook: @theamericanreverie
