This time last June we were opening our doors for the very first time, eager to meet you all and share our brands with the world. And that's just what we did. You've made it a year to remember and we are so grateful for your support and love. Cat shares her best bits of our first year, plus a sneak peek at what's to come.
What a year!
Has it really been a whole 365? I am split feeling like our first pop-up was only last week whilst also feeling like we have been doing this all along.
I’m writing this looking back at our first year, ready to list off how many locations and pop-ups, how many events and new brands and I realise, as mega as that all is, it's really you, each and every one of you, that I feel most grateful for. We genuinely couldn't have done any of it without you. So firstly, with glasses full, here's to all of us! Here’s to community, connecting, sharing and growing. We’re in this together right?
The day before June 1st last year we were working inside a 24 hour window to get our first ever pop-up set up, and be at the door ready to meet you all. All whilst our website was launching at the same time. 10am on June 1st is a moment in time we will never forget. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of watching something switch immediately from an idea to a real, functioning business. We decided to launch with the pop-up to sort of test drive the area and play shop as it were. No lie, by day two I knew this is where treen belonged. Skip forward six events and three months later we moved into Custom Lane. Here we worked out of a wonderful studio space, spent time nurturing the website and held three more pop-up events. Another three months and we moved into No.12 St Stephen Street, a stone's throw from where it all began (big up Space at Seventeen!) into a longer term space. In classic treen fashion, we got the keys and posted on Instagram the same day that we would be hosting drinks the following week. A reach seeing as the electricity and water wasn't turned on, let alone any furniture to display the clothes! But after a few months out of a store to call our own we were just too excited to get going and share that immersive in person experience once again. A few final touches (you know, centre table and lampshade, nothing too major!) arrived via courier with 5 minutes to spare, as we were pouring the first few glasses ready to welcome you into our new space. An evening to remember!
Seven more months later, hundreds more of you and a million Nessy (shop poodle) cuddles and here we are. So many laughs, so many smiles and a good few proseccos for good measure. I feel immensely proud of what we have achieved, and experiencing the milestone of turning one and looking back at what has filled the last 365 days is a new and incredible feeling. In my mind I am pouring these feelings into a big battery pack to wear as we walk into our second, third, fourth years.
What's next? You might remember we posted a blog after our first pop-up saying that we needed a home or somewhere to call the mothership. A hub and destination, somewhere treen can properly stretch its legs and grow. Well, something very exciting is on the horizon. As always, you know we will give you a big heads up to follow along and for a look in behind the scenes. Expect mood boarding, local collabs and a ton more do good fashion to go with it!
I am beyond excited to share we are also expanding to offer menswear (we see you guys!), as well as growing our range of lifestyle products - think sleep, swim, beauty and home. All paired with valuable events, both in person and online. Zoom and IG Live are definitely here to stay now and we plan to keep them going so we can continue to connect with you, wherever you are. The past few months of adapting has given us the time to push our online store, and community on Instagram, forward and this will continue to grow alongside our physical home. Always here to connect, chat, and share. It really is a team of people who care behind the scenes and your screens.
For now, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a part of our first year!
We couldn't have done it without you.
Cat
