Exploring Life & Business with Rebecca Pieper of The Bearded Beagle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Pieper.

Rebecca, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m an LA native who moved around quite a bit over the years. I went to school in San Francisco and got a degree in fashion design there with an emphasis is sustainability. I was always an avid thrifter and vintage shopper and was inspired by clothing everywhere I went. I worked in corporate retail for a long time and interned in fashion, but always felt like the industry was so wasteful and ugly on the inside.
After being in NYC interning and working, I moved to Washington state and worked in a local vintage store, There I quickly became the lead buyer. I had a great mentor there who took me under her wing and showed me what a good boss looked like. Though I loved that job, the town itself felt like somewhere to retire, which I wasn’t ready for at 25. I and my partner then decided to move back to LA and start a vintage store of our own.
With our cumulative skill set of fashion brands and trends, retail and vintage knowledge, as well as a good understanding of the LA community it seemed like a perfect fit. 11 years and 3 stores later, we’re still standing.
Though things haven’t been easy between a pandemic, and fires we feel we have a solid little following in NELA in which our stores sit, and we love the community we’re surrounded by.
We have 2 locations going strong one in Los Feliz and one in Highland Park

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Owning a business is never smooth. There are always struggles. Rising rent (the rent of our first shop in Highland Park more than quadrupled over the course of 10 years). Rising prices, lots of competition ( everyone sells vintage clothing now, from urban outfitters to reformation etc.) The cost of labor is high.
GLOBAL PANDEMIC, shady landlords, building maintenance. These are struggles every business owner has to deal with.
I’m just lucky that I get to shop for fun vintage clothes everyday and that I have a great team behind me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Bearded Beagle was founded in 2013 and sells recycled and vintage clothing.

We focus our business on curating a collection of handpicked clothing and accessories that are beautiful and on trend but unique, used and affordable.
Our selection is typically items we like from the 1940’s to 2005. We. Carry items for adults of all genders and sizes.
We feel environment and the shopping experience is very important, so we try to make every detail reflect our personality as a brand without feeling pretentious and unapproachable. We take pride in our displays, our curation, the music we play, the way it smells. We want every detail to feel purposeful.
We have 2 locations one in Los Feliz on Hollywood Blvd. one in Highland Park on N. Figueroa st.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
A good accounting and a good handyman are invaluable. Also as a business owner there’s no such thing as time off, but at the end of the day if you don’t love it you shouldn’t be doing it.

Pricing:

• Typical pice range per item $20-$70

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.thebeardedbeagle.com
• Instagram: @thebeardedbeagle

Image Credits
Heidy Oreallana
Kandia Jackson
Chelsea Gaspard
Sweetsuezy