Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Westlake Carrie Cronkey
Hi Emily Westlake, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We grew up in Hudson, and our first jobs when we were teenagers were at a locally owned toy store on Main Street. We both went to college in North Carolina, then spent a few years in New York City together until Carrie’s career took her to San Francisco and Emily stayed east. After twenty years of building careers in finance, technology, and marketing (Carrie) and publishing (Emily) and starting families, we both returned to Hudson, Carrie in 2019 and Emily in 2022. We love our local community, taking advantage of the cultural institutions in Cleveland, raising Guardians, Browns, and Cavs fans, exploring the parks in the area, and of course being close to family.
We’ve always been interested in fashion and enjoyed shopping at independently owned, thoughtfully curated clothing boutiques, whether in our hometowns or while traveling. When the opportunity arose to create our own version of that kind of special and personal shopping experience in Hudson, we seized it. In late August of 2023 we signed our lease, got on a plane to NYC for our first trip to market three weeks later, and set about building a retail destination for women to find elevated basics and pieces that would make people stop and ask, “Where did you get that?” We opened the day before Thanksgiving in 2023, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since.
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?
Our business has gone fairly smoothly since we opened our doors. The fact that there are two of us, plus our mom (who our customers now know as “Favorite Mom”), helps—we are constantly collaborating, bouncing ideas off each other, and helping one another juggle work and family.
The biggest challenge we’ve faced so far has probably been renovating our space. We’re located in a building that was built in the 1800s, and while it is certainly charming it also needs a fair amount of love and ongoing care.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Favorite Sister is an upscale women’s clothing boutique dedicated to making getting dressed feel exciting, empowering, and easy. We sell a mix of high-quality wardrobe staples—chic tees that can easily be dressed up or down, stylish denim, sweaters in a variety of pretty palettes and textures—and unique items that will be favorites for years to come. Many of the brands we carry are women-owned and are committed to sustainability; we love learning the backstories of the designers and how their values and passions influence the clothes they create. We also want the store to feel welcoming and community-centered, so we try to host monthly events where we stay open late, serve cocktails, and get to know our clients better.
What we’re most proud of, and what we believe truly sets us apart, is the personal service that we provide for each customer. We love helping people find exactly what they’re looking for (whether they knew what that might be when they walked in or not!), talking to them about their lives and wardrobe needs and then introducing them to pieces that will easily mix into their closets and elevate their looks. Our name, Favorite Sister, is partly an inside joke as we are sisters running a business together and have a third sister who lives in L.A. But at our core, we want shopping with us to feel like shopping with your sister—someone who is looking out for your best interest, makes you laugh, and will occasionally push you to try new things when you need a little encouragement.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Don’t be afraid of new technologies and platforms—or afraid to ask your old friend Google. Never be intimidated by what you don’t know, remember there are plenty of people who start businesses who have no idea what they are doing. Imposter syndrome is real and we believe in making sure other entrepreneurs (especially women) don’t fall into the trap of not starting because they feel like they don’t know enough.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopfavoritesister.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopfavoritesister/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopfavoritesister
