Meet Jasmin Pettie | Owner & Curator

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

Hi Jasmin, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I would say just how much love and time goes into each product and how expensive handmade items are to make and vintage items are to restore. A lot of customers and outsiders don’t understand why handmade and vintage items cost more than something you would get from a big box retailer. Creating something from scratch, revamping something, or restoring a piece to its former glory is time consuming and expensive. Shipping costs are also very high and so in order to offer free or discounted shipping to the consumer we have to make those costs back by increasing our item prices and a lot of customers and outsiders don’t really understand that because they don’t realize what goes into making a product.

What should our readers know about your business?
I think what sets my business apart is the exception and personalized customer service I always strive to provide. I’m most proud of how far my business has come from where it started in 2010’s. I want people to know how much hard work goes into making something great as a small business owner. A lot of people are so used to buying from large scale businesses that they miss how much work small and medium sized sellers put into making something great. I got to where I am today through hard work and perseverance. It can be a rough go being an independent seller and creator. The last year has been particularly challenging because people aren’t spending as much money as they were before. You just gotta hang in there. Bytown Bijou started off as a side hustle so there have been challenges with balancing a full time job and a small business on the side at the same time. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to scale up gradually and not to overbuy things when you first start out.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of my favourite spots are the Dallas Reunion Tower and the Arboretum. I love museums and galleries so the Presidential Library, Nature and Science Museum, and the Aquarium are a must. For food I’d recommend the velvet taco and the Maple Leaf Diner. There are also a lot of great walking tours in the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my friends that have supported me all these years! My friends have been the ones who encouraged me to go for it and start my business! They’ve supported me by showing me love on social media, buying items, and letting me use their spaces to take product photographs. I wouldn’t be there without their support.

Website: bytownbijou.etsy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bytownbijou/

Other: linktr.ee/jasminpettie

Image Credits
Jasmin Pettie