Meet Ariene Bethea: Huntress, Founder & Retailer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ariene Bethea and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ariene, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I’m very organized – type A. I think in logical order, so that has helped me to focus and prioritize important tasks and meet deadlines.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m founder, retailer and huntress of Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio, a boutique vintage furniture shop and design studio. Fueled by the thrill of the hunt for one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, I mix vintage and new with layers of color, pattern, texture. Growing up in a home infused with art and culture has influenced my casual collected style and playful use of patterns and colors in the shop.

Early on I had an end goal – to open a shop. I developed a plan 10 years ago to get there: sell online, participate in local markets, rent a space in a multi-merchant shop, build social media all along the way and open a brick and mortar. It was marathon, not a sprint and I’m proud I didn’t give up.

When I first started I had a small car, so transporting furniture was challenging. I rented Uhauls and Home Depot trucks to pick-up furniture. It was very time consuming and tricky to schedule pick-ups. I had to save up to purchase a SUV to haul furniture, but in the meantime I made it work. I started where I was with what I had. I open my Esty shop with $300. I taught myself how to design my business card and website. I took my own photos of my product. I kept working and improving and learning new skills. I’m still learning.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I love entertaining so we would start with brunch at Heist Brewery. Then head over to Camp North End to catch a live show or pop-up market. Shopping at CLTCH, Slate Interiors and Boris & Natasha. Next some ice cream from Jeni’s and then out to the White Water Center to sit by the water and listen to a live band. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to shout out my husband Daren! He is my biggest cheerleader and before I was ready for a brick and mortar he found one for me. He does all the heavy lifting and helps me arrange the shop as many times as I need to to get it just right. I also owe my love for design to my mom. I inherited her style and taste. She used to host pop-up’s for clothing vendors at my aunt’s house and was the quite the entertainer.

There are so many women in my life that have helped me along this journey from figuring out pricing, creating a budget, reviewing and editing my website, connecting me with trades, attending events and just encouraging me and lifting me up in prayer – I can”t list them all, but they know who that are.

Website: www.dressingroomsinteriorsstudio.com

Instagram: @dressmyroom

Facebook: @dressmyroom

Image Credits
Some of the credit goes to Bri Williams, other to Ariene Bethea – depends on the photo.