Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Mitchell and Violet Navarrete.
While we opened our store a month ago, our story really starts in Santa Cruz back in 2012. We met because we worked together at a clothing store. Both of us were working two jobs, going to school, and in search of a new living situation. Through the suggestions of our manager, we ended up getting an apartment together. After working out our different living styles, we realized we had a lot of similar interests and the same sense of humor. By the third year living together, we set a goal to travel across America. In order to save up money for the trip, we started selling vintage clothing at the local Antique Faire- in addition to our full time jobs and full time schooling. We spent half a year living out of a van and traveling all over the country.
It was during this trip that we talked for HOURS about ethical retail, if it was possible, and how we would do it if we could. After the trip was over we moved to Seattle and forgot all about starting a business. We didn’t last long in the Pacific Northwest and moved back to California within two years. The lack of sunshine and taquerias was harder to handle than we thought. Before driving down we visited Natalie’s family in Idaho. While we were there we both realized that if we didn’t try to start our business now, before taking out student loans and pursuing a career, we probably never would. So as we were moving, we also made a promise to each other to give this thing the best effort we could.
Timshel, a reference to East of Eden by John Steinbeck, was founded on the idea that we could provide ethical and sustainable goods at an affordable price. Because we both grew up in low-income families, we knew how alienating high-end retail could be. We started selling vintage because it was a product we were already familiar with, and because we could keep it affordable. By selling at pop-ups and markets, we were able to avoid costly rent prices and save up money. We started Timshel with $300, and after a year and a half, we opened our brick and mortar store. We couldn’t be more proud of it!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not a smooth road at all! We’ve both shared lots of tears, stress, anxiety, and compromises. Because we put every penny we make back into our business, we both have to work other jobs to cover the cost of living. It’s a struggle to feel like you’re only giving half of yourself to something that you love and are passionate about. We have countless ideas and goals we want to work on, but being limited by time, money and energy means a fraction of them get done. Timshel is powered by two things: passion and community. We have an amazing group of friends that have helped at every step of our business. We’ve learned that it’s ok to ask for help, mainly because we’ve been forced to ask for it. But when people love you, they want to be a part of your journey and see you achieve your goals.
What should we know about Timshel Shop? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The main thing that sets us apart is our authenticity. We aren’t just selling products that fit a certain brand or aesthetic, we spend countless hours sourcing and researching. We stand behind everything we sell and each item carries a story worth telling. Plus we’ve been able to curate the shop in a way that blends new and vintage goods at a wide range of price-points. We also love making genuine connections with our customers. When people come into our store, we tend to have conversations that last forever, and we get way too excited about seeing how much joy our products bring to to others. We don’t want to sell people stuff they don’t need or that won’t last just to make a buck. We want to provide joy-inspiring items to people’s lives.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
We’ve seen, and experienced, a lot of unhealthy competition in our industry. There seems to be a lot of fear-based ideas of how to have a successful business, and they usually involve putting others down. Luckily, San Diego is also home to a large amount of small business owners that want to lift each other up. When small businesses, especially women owned ones, collaborate and encourage each other, everyone benefits.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4639 30th St, San Diego, CA 92116
- Website: timshelshop.com
- Email: timshelshop@gmail.com
- Instagram: timshelshop
- Facebook: timshelshop
Image Credit:
Jazmine Fitzwilliam took photo of us smiling.
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