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Fashion Retailer

Fashion: Rochelle's, St. Augustine, FL
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Do you have a sense of style, an appreciation of fine fabric and an eye for design? Are you able to interact with people in a way that makes them feel comfortable and confident? Would you like the opportunity to be creative every day and follow your passion for fashion? Find out what it takes to become a fashion retailer/boutique owner on a VocationVacations® career mentorship with Tom and Karen Rochelle at Rochelle’s, a unique boutique located in the oldest city in the United States, historic St. Augustine, Florida…a beautiful, breezy beach town.

Karen describes herself when she was growing up as an “experimental dresser”. “I was trendsetting in my choice of clothes and sewed my own clothing.” However, she never considered her eye for fashion would go any further then her own closet.

But that changed after she and her husband Tom decided they wanted to own a business together. Karen’s fashion sense and Tom’s strong sense of style would ultimately serve them well when they landed on the idea of opening a women’s retail clothing store. “We both had earned degrees in business, and between the two of us we had little or no experience in this field,” laughs Karen. But that didn’t stop them.

Karen and Tom figured they would get “chewed up” in the big city, so they chose a smaller community, St. Augustine, to open their boutique. They had a little money, were able to get a bank loan and opened Rochelle’s in a strip mall in 1984. Their goal was to offer a wide mix of youthful, moderately-priced, high-quality stylish clothing that would appeal to all ages. “The first seven years were challenging, but we were committed to do whatever it took,” explains Karen. “We loved the creativity of owning our own business.”

Locals and visitors to this small tourist town began to take notice of the unique mix of clothes and accessories sold at Rochelle’s. “We learned about customer buying patterns, the psychology of working with customers and what sells,” Karen says. Customers from New York and Los Angeles became regulars when visiting St. Augustine and enjoyed selecting items from lines like Ella Moss, Susana Monaco, 7 For All Mankind, Tarina Tarantino and many more.

Karen knew they were on the right tract when a $5,000 sale to an out of town customer became a regular occurrence. In 1999, Karen and Tom moved Rochelle’s to an old warehouse which had been home to a sign studio since 1950. They renovated the building but maintained its character and charm, keeping some of the neon and painted signage as décor and for displays.

With the help of one permanent, full-time staff, Tom and Karen have successfully grown their business and gained recognition for the boutique’s unique style and product offerings that make it special. Rochelle’s has been featured in a segment of the TLC television program, “Making Over America with Trinny and Susannah”, and has a long history of being named by the local newspaper as the number one boutique in St. Augustine.

Karen loves her job, but, of course, there are always challenges. “You really have to stay on top of things. The new era of the Internet and the advent of social networking offer new opportunities and challenges and you have to understand how to work with them,” cautions Karen. There are many pieces to the puzzle of owning and operating a profitable boutique. Karen and Tom have successfully learned how to fit all those pieces together and can help you decide if the world of fashion retail is also the right fit for you.

While on your Fashion Retailer/Boutique Owner VocationVacations® career mentorship with Karen and Tom Rochelle at Rochelle’s, activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Assist in selecting merchandise (color, size run, ship date) from samples during a buying session with a sales representative in store
  • Coordinate and participate in informal modeling event at local restaurant
  • Develop marketing emails and send to customers
  • Write up sales, collect payment, and package purchases for customers
  • Write radio advertisement
  • Design and arrange accessory displays
  • Call customers on special orders received or on merchandise they have expressed an interest in
  • Review clothing/accessory line sheets/catalogs and write and place order
  • Engage customers and provide assistance with their clothing and accessory purchases
  • Rearrange clothing on racks by line, color or style so that they are visually appealing
  • Receive inventory and hang, price and merchandise in store
The Fashion Retailer/Boutique Owner VocationnVacations® career mentorship with Karen and Tom Rochelle at Rochelle’s:
  • Two days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a fashion retailer/boutique owner
  • The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post- VocationVacations career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job coming to reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: All year based on mentor's availability

Price: $1049 Per Person

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Suggested Accommodations

Casa Monica

Hilton Historic St. Augustine
(Not included in the price of the VocationVacations® holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® adventure:
Reservation, Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules and Conditions:
Each requested date for a VocationVacation is 100% dependent upon the mentor’s approval of dates.  Each Vocationer is required to sign a liability release stating that they are 18 years or older, 21 years or older if the VocationVacation involves the production or serving of alcohol.  Full payment of the VocationVacation is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacation cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases.  Grounded Nomads, LLC dba VocationVacations encourages all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling.