Meet Anne Doherty | Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anne Doherty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anne, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

After working in all aspects of the retail industry for over a decade and attending FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, I knew I wanted the flexibility and freedom of having my own business. It’s been a lifelong dream to have my own storefront and after many years of traveling to domestic & international markets as a buyer, I had the foundation needed to create something I could call my own.

While working from home during the pandemic for almost 2 years and being pregnant with my first child, I had a surge of ambition and a flexible schedule to start sharing my love for fashion with others. I took a trip to the DTLA Fashion District and made a small investment in a few styles. With the help of several creative friends, we put together a small photoshoot to launch the collection. Building a business from the ground up took a lot of trial & error, however after the success of my first local pop-up and upward traction with online sales, I had the confidence and momentum needed to grow my brand to what it is today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Being a small business owner, you wear many different hats: marketing, finance, social media, modeling, sales, buyer etc. I’ve learned that being able to outsource is crucial, especially the not-so-creative projects. I have always been someone who needed instant gratification, but building a brand takes time and a lot of hard work. People around you will tell you “no, you can’t do it”, you should be a “stay at home mom” but the only thing you can do is listen to yourself and keep going.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

My current favorite brunch place is Native Fields in Walnut. They source from local farmers markets and offer a variety of healthy asian-influenced dishes. For dinner and drinks, my favorite place is Dama in downtown LA. They have the best empanadas and make yummy cocktails! One of my favorite hang outs is the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena because you can discover one of a kind knick-knacks for your home and they have a great selection of vintage clothing. Side note, most of the furniture I purchased for the store was thrifted or purchased from handmade local vendors! On really sunny days, we love to relax at Treasure Island beach in Laguna.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I would like to shout out to my family, especially my husband, Jason Doherty who always told me to keep going and don’t quit. My sister, who helps me with some of the buying for the store and models a lot of the pieces. My mom also helps with some of the accounting and my dad did most of the handywork in the store.

Website: www.lovelycuratedthings.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelycuratedthings/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LovelyCuratedThings/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lovely-curated-things-costa-mesa