Author: Kirsten Buddington Davis, BSU student
Are you from this local area?
Kim Mallios has been living in Marshfield since 1998, where she has truly come to love the area.
Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business?
Bohemian Babe Boho To Go is located in a small area in Marshfield, MA called Brant Rock. Kim has always had a passion for fashion and knew she was interested in this field for many years. While she dreamed of going to school for fashion, she took a different route and tried a few other jobs for some time. She eventually found her way back into the fashion world and hasn’t looked back since!
In 2017 Kim bought an RV and renovated it into a clothing store where she would travel to different festivals and fundraisers to sell her beautifully designed clothing. Later in 2019 Kim opened up a store front where she can now sell even more clothing, including her own personally designed graphic t-shirt! All of her items are affordable and fashionable which keeps people coming back.
When did it start? What Year?
Bohemian Babe Boho To Go was originally started in 2017 in an RV. Kim later opened a store front in 2019 and still currently runs both herself.
What was it that made you want to start this business?
Kim has always had an eye for fashion and dreamed of one day creating beautiful clothing that would not only be pretty to wear, but make people feel good about what they were wearing.
What was the toughest thing you went through when opening? What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
The toughest thing Kim went through when opening was learning how to navigate the small details to make her shop the best it could be. For example, choosing what type of festivals would be best for her style of clothing, how to set up her RV so its eye catching, and where to park to be in the best location where everyone could see the RV. Kim said she attached a loud horn to the RV to grab people’s attention when she arrived. Kim said you must be brave and push yourself when starting something new.
If you had to start over from day 1 what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
One thing Kim would have done differently would be how/where she bought her materials from. Kim used to buy her clothes online in the beginning and most of the time the quality was good, but when she would receive material that was not the best quality she knew she had to physically go into the stores to really feel how the material was in order to sell the best quality clothes to her customers.
What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
Having a business during the global pandemic of COVID-19 was tough on everyone, including Kim. Bohemian Babe was unable to function normally, and Kim was unable to go to festivals due to COVID-19 shutting everything down. Kim is happy to be in business again and looks forward to going to festivals in the future.
If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first? What makes you stand out?
Kim has not only been able to expand her brand, but has also created her own designed t-shirt. Some of the logos include, “Let your soul shine” or “We’re in this together” (which has an earth in the shape of a heart). Kim is always looking for new ways to bring customers in, and having her own T-shirt designs really sets her apart from the rest. Another thing that sets her apart is that she has a store on wheels, which isn’t too common on the East Coast.
What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
Social media would be the number one-way Kim brings in new customers. Kim loves posting on Bohemian Babe’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and gets excited to share new clothing items she has.
Has internet technology played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful? Do you feel that internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the right tools?
Absolutely. Social media is the best way Kim is able to share her brand with people from the area and is looking to hopefully get a website started up soon. She has plenty ideas and is hoping the website will help bring in more business as well as the store’s social media accounts.
If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
In 6 months to a year, Kim is hoping to have a website up and running where she will be able to take online orders and ship them to customers. Kim would also love to continue going to festivals and fundraisers when the weather is nicer and looks forward to the years to come.
Bohemian Babe Boho To Go is located at 295 Ocean St. in Brant Rock Marshfield, MA.
Contact them via:
Phone number: (781)-264-3461
Facebook: @Bohemianbabeboho2go
Instagram: @bohemianbabeboho2go
Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11AM – 6PM
Thursday: 11AM – 6PM
Friday: 11AM – 7PM
Saturday 11AM – 6PM
Sunday: 12PM – 6PM