Brian Curee: 0:11

Well, welcome back to the Vero Beach podcast. This is part three with Ashley at the Apricot Lane Boutique, and today we're going to be talking about why Vero Beach? What do you love about being a business owner here in Vero Beach, ashley?

Ashley Borenz: 0:22

I came from up north. I moved from Connecticut to Port St Lucie and Port St Lucie grew so much from 1997 to 2010. When I moved to Vero, it was just hectic, crazy, like so many people moved and flooded at once and it just got so busy. And no matter how big Vero Beach gets, it still has that hometown, small town feel. I love raising my daughter here. I'm going to love raising my son here. Upland Connecticut was a very small hometown and I feel like that's how, even though we're getting very big here, I feel like that's still the way we all carry on our day.

Brian Curee: 0:57

I love it. It seems like the community here really tries to really protect that, and you can see it. You can see it, you can feel it when you go into places, when you listen to Ray's from Indian River Distilleries, when you listen to his episode. He said this is the world's largest Mayberry. I'm like, and that's just the perfect description for the community here. Everybody always talks about the community, so it's a beautiful part of the neighborhood.

Shawna Curee: 1:20

Now I'm starting to sound like Mr Rogers.

Brian Curee: 1:22

I'm fine with that, love Mr Rogers. Oh my goodness, they're shopping and dressing like Mr Rogers. You know we didn't move here just recently, in January of 25, though we've been coming here since 2014. We're discovering so many more new places. Do you have any local favorites, like places you like to go here in Bureau?

Ashley Borenz: 1:38

Oh well, big shout out to La Tabla and Chelsea's on Cardinal. I love them so much, I'm a repeat customer of them. Me and my husband love Green Marlin. It's his favorite restaurant. It's his favorite place to get salmon in the weeds and we also like to go to the Wave, which is in Casa Dieste.

Shawna Curee: 2:00

Oh yeah, we have been there once. That was in the hotel right on the beach.

Ashley Borenz: 2:05

Oh yeah, we like their rice dish. It's delicious, it's Cuban Paella, paella.

Brian Curee: 2:10

That's awesome. I'll try it Any other places that are your favorites?

Ashley Borenz: 2:13

Well, I used to like to go to Walking Tree before I had the baby. We loved Walking Tree and American Distillery we loved their burgers and pizza. The brewery American Icon.

Brian Curee: 2:23

American Icon. Yes, yes, yes, we go there. Often We've gone there way too many times.

Ashley Borenz: 2:27

Yeah, I love their truffle fries.

Shawna Curee: 2:30

They have so many good things on their menu. Every time we try something new, we love it good things on their menu Every time we try something new. We love it. I love their deviled eggs and their buffalo cauliflower. That's my favorite, isn't that good? It's so good, it's insanely good.

Brian Curee: 2:42

Everybody's going to be hungry after this episode. If you go to the American Icon, let them know. You heard about them on the Vero Beach podcast.

Shawna Curee: 2:49

We would like to talk to them.

Brian Curee: 2:50

There's some new places that you mentioned there that we'll definitely have to swing by. What does community and support local mean to you?

Ashley Borenz: 2:57

One. It means basic shopping, local and keeping it in town. I mean, I think that's what's going to help all of us get through everything that's going on. Just keep the community going, because we all have to support each other to keep our businesses open.

Shawna Curee: 3:11

How has the community supported you since you?

Ashley Borenz: 3:13

started here. Oh, my God, the Chamber of Commerce ladies I can't remember their names right now, but they are so beautiful. They helped me with everything, getting it on their Facebook reminding me and everybody in the community that you reach out to, are immediately helpful, going to get all the licenses. Everybody is just so helpful. They want to see you win and succeed. That just makes you want everybody see you win and succeed. That just makes you want everybody else to win and succeed, absolutely.

Shawna Curee: 3:40

So, ashley, what is your hope for the future of Apricot Lane?

Ashley Borenz: 3:44

Basically, I, just hope to keep running and be able to being flexible for my customers and keep good style in and just be here for the long run. I really hope to be part of the community and part of the merchandise and storefront for a long time.

Brian Curee: 3:57

What are some of the best ways for the community to stay up to date? What's going on? Are you on social? You probably have a website. Do you have like an email list, anything like that?

Ashley Borenz: 4:06

I definitely do. We have a loyalty program which you can sign up for and you'll get points for your birthday. You get ten dollars on your birthday and for every three hundred points you get, you get fifteen dollars off. Oh, that's a good loyalty program.

Brian Curee: 4:22

I should have plugged Shauna's ears before you said that.

Ashley Borenz: 4:25

And also we have with that. We have our website and I'm on Instagram, facebook and I'm hoping to get on TikTok soon.

Brian Curee: 4:32

Do you have any plans like for like collaborations with any other local businesses in the area?

Ashley Borenz: 4:36

I'm hoping to get into the like the craft shows and have a tent there, like I did a collaboration with Forever Link Jewelry. I had her come in and do some jewelry I'd like there's a couple. There's a night owl coffee I'd like to have a collab with yes, we just sold them yes. Oh yeah. Yeah, I ran into her at another thing I was doing across the street. There's a salon over there that does like a family market where they have local vendors.

Ashley Borenz: 5:01

Come in, oh, okay where they have local vendors come in, and I ran in her there and I asked her, and so we just have to get together. She has. I'm hoping to get the coffee truck out front and maybe do something at her place. That would be fun.

Brian Curee: 5:13

That's what's so great about this community is. I love how people come together and are trying to help each other. Like you said, that is going to be key for the community, even though it's growing, to still stay like that tight knit community, as some have said the largest, Mary Berry, so that I couldn't help but say it again. Jeez Ray, you get so many shout outs. I should get like some kind of like affiliate link or something. The question I was going to ask you which we're not going to put this in here, but I am going to ask it just because now I'm curious when you decided to launch it, were everybody like supportive or did you have some people think are you crazy, Like after COVID, that you're going to start a retail store? Was that something that ever came up? We know COVID really affected everybody, especially retail stores.

Ashley Borenz: 5:51

Just growing up you realize that there's a lot of negative is that you just don't tell those people. You tell the people who are going to be on your side and support you and then you wait until you've done it and then you tell everybody, and then there's nothing to say. That's smart advice.

Shawna Curee: 6:07

That's good life advice. That's really smart advice.

Brian Curee: 6:08

I probably will have to put that in here, because that's really good advice.

Shawna Curee: 6:10

I think you should. That's why you should never hold back on a question, because you never know what the answer is going to be.

Brian Curee: 6:14

I kept holding it back but I'm like, ah, it's too late to go there, but yeah Well, ashley, as we get ready to wrap up, first I want to say thank you for joining us on the podcast. It's been great having you on as a guest.

Ashley Borenz: 6:26

Thank you guys. Thank you, it's super fun yeah good.

Brian Curee: 6:30

You said you were as nervous at the beginning because you've never done a podcast, but you're walking away feeling pretty good.

Ashley Borenz: 6:35

Yeah.

Brian Curee: 6:35

All right, Awesome, Awesome. Well, I know Shauna's feeling pretty good because she already knows she a point for every dollar she spends here. So if someone's listening well, not if someone there's people listening Let me re-say that that's a good idea, yeah. So, as we get ready to wrap up, Ashley for those listening that has never visited the store before, what would you want them to know before they come in?

Ashley Borenz: 6:59

There's definitely something here for everybody. First first looks can be deceiving, so come in. If you're not sure, we'll help you find stuff. If you don't like anything here, give me ideas. I take any criticism and I will run with it and I will try to get things here that you guys like I love that and also sign up to get that styling appointment right Everybody.

Brian Curee: 7:20

Thank you for tuning in. If you've enjoyed this episode, make sure you click that subscribe and leave us.