Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Coe
Hi Tanya, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I opened the shop almost 15 years ago with my best friend from college, Kim Davison, while I was taking some time off to figure out what I wanted, after finding myself unhappy in my accounting career. We had started an online shop about six months prior to finding our first brick and mortar space and we didn’t have much money but the space was just $320 a month, the size of a shoebox so we took it, and at first, we were only open on Saturdays because Kim worked full-time and I still had two part-time jobs.
We didn’t have experience being business owners but we had both worked retail and with my accounting/business degree and Kim’s marketing degree, we just kind of winged it. Nashville was different then, it wasn’t the “it” city that it is now and there were not many people doing what Kim and I started. Everyone laughed at our style… our fringe, our boots, our stage wear, etc. But our first year in business, we were featured in Southern Living for our vintage cowgirl boots and everything snowballed from there. We hustled so hard. We both eventually quit our other jobs and became committed to Goodbuy Girls 24/7. We started an all-girl band and hosted weekly happy hours featuring all-female musicians and a Goodbuy Girls pop-up.
I learned how to play guitar, write, and sing for this by the way. Lol! A year and a half in, we were able to get a slightly bigger retail space in a more prominent area and the press kept rolling in. Around four and a half years in, after we had been under a 9-month contract for a reality TV show that did not pan out, Kim was ready for a change and moved to LA to work for Steven Tyler and LL Cool J. Since my roots/family are in Nashville and I had started recording my first album, I knew I wasn’t moving anytime soon and I wanted to keep the store going which Kim graciously let me do.
Nashville started experiencing a lot of growth and tourism picked up which meant more foot traffic for us. We went from only being open 1 day a week to every day of the week.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been lots of ups and downs, slow months, slow years, understaffed, being overworked, things like that. The pandemic was obviously a very challenging time for most all small businesses, us included but with the help of friends and community, we were able to survive.
We’ve been impressed with Goodbuy Girls, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We accidentally became famous for our curation of vintage cowgirl boots and women’s western wear so we have honored that and continue specializing in that. I grew up in the country music industry surrounded by amazing western wear so I have a deep love and passion for it. I think cowgirl boots are incredibly empowering and I love helping women feel like their most confident self which I would say is the aspect of this job that I am the most proud of.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I have been extremely hands on in every facet of this business since day 1. I work 3-4 days a week in the shop and I work every day of the week behind the scenes and doing things for our online store and our online customers. This has allowed me to feel a sense of control over the quality of the products we offer and great customer service.
Pricing:
- Our pricing is based on the fair market value of the items we are offering. High quality vintage western wear is highly sought after and pricing is based on the era, condition, size and how rare the item is.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goodbuygirlsnashville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodbuygirls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodbuygirls
- Twitter: https://x.com/goodbuygirls?mx=2
Image Credits
Mick Leonardy
Shea Windley
