Tucked away off of Main Street in Freeport, Rustic Arrow is one of our new favorite Maine-based stores. Their sleek, yet whimsical aesthetic pulled us in, and their adorable clothing and gifts kept us shopping for hours. At The Fashion Cookbook, we value and strive to support local artisans. Rustic Arrow embodies everything we could ever want in a shopping experience. Also, both owners are inspirational #girlbosses that we look up to and we couldn’t help but share their incredible story with you… Enjoy!
Tell us a little about yourself? Rustic Arrow is a free-spirited, contemporary boutique bringing you fashionable apparel, accessories, and home products. We are located at 25 Bow Street in the heart of the Freeport Maine shopping village. Rustic Arrow is locally owned and operated by co-owners Natalya and Sarah. We offer a full-size range of apparel from junior to plus. Our mission is to always create a fun and inviting atmosphere where customers are inspired to look and feel amazing. Our goal is to bring affordable, fun fashion to everyone while supporting local, emerging designers in Maine and throughout the USA.
What inspired you to start the store? Our partnership was born out of the mutual desire to express ourselves in a new, creative and meaningful way. We have different backgrounds – Natalya in NYC fashion and Sarah in business and finance. We have structured our business model to play off of each other’s experience and strengths. We both understand that owning a business is hard, especially in the early years. We share a strong sense of commitment to our families and to our business and we know that we can rely on each other to keep both working well! The sense of fulfillment in building something from the ground up – that can hopefully someday be passed down to our children is one of the many things that keep us going!
I got to try on entire outfits in the store. How cute is this?! I ended up buying these flare jeans and will style them in an upcoming outfit post. 
Where do you see yourself in five years? In the next five years, we would like to move into a larger space which would allow us to expand our offerings and further develop the custom shopping experience. We would like to bring in more emerging, independent designers as well as mix in some awesome vintage pieces! We will continue to concentrate on building a brand that customers can rely on to help express their identity… not just through fashion but also through home decor and beauty and wellness.
What advice do you have for budding female entrepreneurs? Our advice to any entrepreneur is to believe in yourself and never give up. If you give energy to your dreams, amazing things can happen. Stay focused and patient and learn how to tap into local resources. We started this business with a tiny budget and huge intentions and we were able to grow immensely throughout our first year!
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, here are five great gift ideas:
Plantable Seed Paper Greeting Card
After I was done shopping I attended a terrarium-making workshop put on by Natalya and Sarah. I’ve always wanted to own a terrarium and it was so exciting to make my own from scratch! For just $35 they provide the terrarium, soil, stones, moss, and a selection of plants. Oh, and did I mention they also provide wine and snacks? Honestly, it makes for such a fun Friday night. To sign up for the next one be sure to follow them on Instagram.
Photography by Centered Images
LOVE,
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