Meet Becky Dyer | Retail Owner

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

Hi Becky, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Good, old fashioned hard work is what our success was built on, and what continues to grow it. My family has owned this retail business my entire life, and my husband and I purchased the business from my parents about four years ago. Retail is in my blood, and selling is my God-given gift, but retail is still one of the hardest, most stressful professions. Being a retailer requires drive and motivation. Recently, due to the pandemic, we were forced to re-think our age-old principles of selling. We pivoted to begin selling on a Facebook LIVE format, rather than rely solely on foot traffic in-store. These weekly Facebook LIVE Sales have become hugely popular for us, which has in turn, created significantly more work for myself and my staff. It is a very fast-paced environment and the only way to success is through hard work.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are a Hallmark Gold Crown store, with a separate fashion boutique inside called Ruby Kate’s Boutique. We are in such a small town that presents both challenges and opportunities. The challenge is that consumers have no big-box reason to shop near us. It is not necessarily convenient to come shop in our store, and we also have a small population of consumers from which to pull. We are constantly having to creatively find a way to make customers want to shop in our store. Most recently, we have done that with our weekly Facebook LIVE Sales. Consumers can shop every Thursday night at ease from the comfort of their own homes and in their pajamas, if they want. We offer free shipping on purchases above $100 and only $7 shipping under that purchase hurdle. Not only does that offer perks to non-locals, it also helps ease the minds of customers who do not want to get out during this pandemic. Plus, our Facebook LIVE Sale is not only about selling. We have a lot of fun, tons of laughs, and we give great prizes away just for watching! We get so many compliments on how much people enjoy our “show!” It is so fun to hear conversations about it throughout the week. We are thrilled to provide customers with a way to relax, have some laughs and do some shopping! We have built our viewership to far-reaching locations across the United States, which is a huge accomplishment for this small family business!

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.
Blairsville is chock-full of places to visit! Of course, there are all the outdoorsy attractions like Brasstown Bald Mountain, Helton Creek Falls, Blood Mountain, Vogel State Park and the Swinging Bridge. We have the greatest park in town, Meeks Park, where I spend my free time on runs. We have the cutest town square, where I love to eat at Michaelee’s. There are some great wineries around the area, but specifically in Blairsville, is Odom Springs Vineyard and Paradise Hills Spa and Vineyard. Right next door to our store is a very unique tourist attraction, Brasstown Drug and Gun, which is a pharmacy AND a gun store! Visitors to Blairsville will find plenty to stay busy!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents, for teaching me great work ethic, and that perseverance pays off! My husband, Brannon, for keeping everything organized and on task! Jeannell (ReRe) Goins, my hilarious co-host on our Facebook LIVE Sales #ThePlaceToBeWithBeckAndRe, for bringing out the funniest in me on our shows!

Website: https://rubykates.com/
Instagram: @patshallmark and @shoprubykates
Facebook: @patshallmark and @shoprubykates