Life & Work with Erica Parr

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Parr.

Erica, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
I have always loved accessories and color from a really young age. You could usually find me in color from head to toe in the form of some sort of ‘party dress’ with colorful tights, ruffle socks, and patent leather shoes or a matching sweat suit, and draped in what my parents lovingly referred to as ‘junk city’ – a collection of colorful plastic chain necklaces and bracelets with charms that I could clip on and off. 

As I got older, I found myself drawn to beads of all kinds and started to amass my own small collection of bead boxes filled with all sizes and colors of glass and plastic beads. I would sit for hours stringing beads together to create any piece of jewelry I could imagine, however, I was never in love with any of the items I created, to wear them let alone tell others or sell them. 

Fast forward to a few months after college graduation from Iowa State University, I was hired at the largest privately held marketing agency in the US within their automotive division. I started out in the sales department but when an opportunity to move to the account side came up, I jumped on it. The company had a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and during my 11 years there, I essentially built a company within a company. I started as a one-woman show, growing the product I managed from $350,000 in sales a year to over $40 million a year, managing 24 people by the time I turned in my resignation in late 2015. 

Around the same time, I was going through a divorce, had put my house on the market, and decided to travel the US for a few months and open myself up for new opportunities, people, and places. I jokingly refer to this as my Eat, Pray, Love phase… I moved to Pittsburgh shortly after my travels ended and quickly got to work finding the intersection of my purpose and passion to create a business, I was excited about while bringing something new and different to the fashion world and Pittsburgh. 

I started doing closet clean-outs for people, which quickly gave way to selling entire apartments full of furniture, and word was spreading quickly. It wasn’t long before I had filled a 1500 sqft apt that was on loan. I was selling larger items on Facebook marketplace and smaller items on Poshmark. During that time, I was also sourcing wholesale accessories and sharing them on Poshmark. I noticed that I was really excited about the entire process from photographing, posting, sharing, and shipping the accessories to let other items sit until I would share them on the Poshmark platform. One day, I had a wholesale shipment arrive, and one of the earrings was broken beyond repair. It was a pair if flower-shaped acrylic earrings. Since the earring was not salvageable, I found my largest drill bit to test and see if the piece would crack more. To my delight, I drilled a perfect hole. This was a game-changer! I immediately starting sourcing DIY acrylic pieces in a few shapes, sizes, and colors so I could drill into them and create my very own designs and color combos. 

I was taken back to that feeling of being a child, playing with my beads and creating. Everything felt possible. That initial love of accessories and creating is what initially drove my desire to start designing earrings at my kitchen table. I continued selling on Poshmark, then added local pop-up events that occurred all around the city of Pittsburgh. As the winter months quickly approached, myself and another gal I had met at the pop-ups partnered up to open a shared retail location in August of 2019. Despite the pandemic, many missteps along the way, and a rocky business partnership, I have been able to branch out on my own and opened my flagship location in the heart of Lawrenceville, the largest city neighborhood in Pittsburgh in late 2021. 

Closet Rehab features all acrylic accessories ranging from earrings, Apple Watch bands, hair accessories, mix-and-match purses and straps, and cuffs. I personally make and design the earrings in the shop as well as offer custom design services allowing individuals to create their own pair of earrings in under 30 minutes with no added price tag or design fees. The rest of the collection I hand select or have a hand in designing with our fabulous manufacturing partners. 

Closet Rehab is so much more than accessories! It’s been a way for me to help women express their true personal style and exude confidence through accessories. 

About the boutique: 

Closet Rehab is a Pittsburgh-based acrylic accessories line – inspired by shapes textures and creating maximalist statements for the minimalist closet. Established in 2017 by Erica Parr, the brand was born when she left her corporate job to pursue her dreams and bring new people, places, and things into her life. Making way for only the best versions of ourselves, each piece is customized to help individuals find their inner badass and bring joy, authenticity, and a sense of therapy to their closets. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This has NOT been a smooth road at all! Business ownership is not for the faint of heart, but it’s worth it for those who have the determination to just keep going. It quickly exposes your strengths and weaknesses, and I have learned some pretty hard lessons along the way. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in acrylic accessories for everyday wear. I am known for my use of color, shape, and texture to create unique looks that are lightweight and easy to wear. I am the most proud of how we have evolved over the four years we have had a retail storefront. 

What set us apart from others is offering on-site custom design for our earrings with no added price tag or design fees, ready in under 30 minutes and ready to wear within 24 hours or less. 

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Right now, I am loving Diary of a CEO and The Ed Mylett Show podcasts. My Dwell bible app is a daily must! And I am currently reading the Soul of Shame for a book club I just joined. 

Mindset is the foundation of being a great business owner, and that takes daily work and awareness. I am constantly learning and growing in new areas for both my professional and personal life. 

Contact Info:

• Website: getclosetrehab.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getclosetrehab/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getclosetrehab
• Other: https://faire.com/direct/closetrehab