In The Spotlight: Spahr Designs

As I mentioned in my last post, my family and I spent the last week in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, soaking in the sunlight (but still wearing SPF 70, of course #palekidprobs), relaxing on the beach, etc...

However, while perusing the adorable shops that characterize the beach town, my uncle introduced me to one of his friends by the name of Scott Spahr who owns his own fashion boutique, but SEWS EVERYTHING HE SELLS. That's incredible!! Not only is he a designer, but he makes it all himself!

Being the crafty gal and aspiring sewer I am, I was obviously instantly impressed and came back a few days later to ask him a few questions:

Have you always wanted to be a designer?

I can’t remember if I always wanted to. I always liked fashion. I don’t think I’ve wanted to since I was a little kid…maybe in high school I started thinking about it?

What was it like to start your own business?

I was pretty naïve about it so the first year, it was pretty easy, you know I kind of throw myself into things so I didn’t really do it by the book. I think it would’ve been scary if I had done it by the book, but my first year was easy because, like I said, I was naïve, but then the second year, I guess it became more of a business and I had to be more savvy. So then it was tough for a little while, but now things have leveled off and I know the ins and outs.

How does owning a store in Rehoboth affect your business?

I think Rehoboth being a vacation spot, with the influx of people in the summer months…I don’t know…Well it’s affected what I deign and make. If I were somewhere else, I probably wouldn’t be doing bright colors, you know? It depends.

Does being located in a beach town make your business more seasonal?

Yea. I mean spring and summer are definitely where I make the money. I don’t really get heavily into fall and winter because the people just aren’t here. I’ll start doing long sleeved cotton shirts for guys, maybe some darker colors for both men and women, but I don’t get heavily into wools and stuff like that. It’s a short season for winter, but definitely my look is spring and summer.

What’s your next step?

This is my fifteenth year and it’s been more on my mind that I would really like to possibly get my stuff into other stores, possibly open up another store, but in order to do that I would definitely need to have help. I would need help with the manufacturing; I could never do it by myself.

What are you inspired by?

I look at other people’s websites and magazines and stuff like that. I don’t really get too inspired by them in that I want to copy them. Sometimes I won’t look at other people’s stuff because I don’t want to be like “Oh my god I should be doing that” or too stressed out about stuff like that. I don’t know…I just kind of watch what people wear on the street and the types of fabrics and stuff when I order it. I do look at other people’s websites, but not to copy.

What advice do you have for any aspiring designers?

Work hard? If it’ something that you really want to do, it’s up and down, it’s really tough, but that’s the way it is for anyone who wants to do their own thing or have their own business so I think you have to be willing to work it. I think that a lot of people when they start the business they think they’ll hire people and stuff but I think you have to be willing to work it.

What advice do you have for any aspiring business owners?

Almost the same thing. I mean, I’ve been here 15 years and I work it all the time. I’ve seen other people open businesses and they just will hire people, and there’s a lot of overhead money, and they don’t really want to work it so it fails. You have to be willing to throw yourself into it.

                

Thanks again to Scott for letting me interview him and take pictures of his store! 

If you're ever in the Rehoboth area, it's worth a visit.

xoxo

Hannah