Who hasn’t ever thought about starting a business with a friend? There are a lot of us who have thought about it and some who have actually done it.
Laura Hart and Dana Marron have checked that off their list and share their journey into the retail world after coming from the other side of wholesale, production and design.
I’ve known both Laura and Dana a long time, Laura being a good friend and neighbor, and Dana from back in the day when I was also in the clothing business -seeing her at trade shows (many moons ago). I remember when they came up with the idea for the store and decided to actually go for it. I knew they had a sure hit on their hands with their combined taste level and knowing what women want.
They opened their first shop in downtown Laguna Beach and then later, once that was proving to be a success, Corona del Mar. Laura and Dana both play on their strengths in running the business and have made Laguna Supply a go-to destination shop to get classic, wearable and beachy cool pieces. The girls have just celebrated their 10 year anniversary, which is a really impressive testament to not only their business acumen but also their friendship.
Introducing Laura Hart and Dana Marron…
What does The Art of Being Female mean to each of you?
DM: We are both collaborators by nature. Having a friend first, then business partner to go on this journey the last 10 years is a true testament to women standing together. We are so different in so many way and we embrace that! At the end of the day that’s all that really matters. Support, trust, integrity, and well throw in a bit of travel, food and fun and there you go! We don’t take ourselves too seriously either. That really helps when making a major decision together.
LH: Having a great friend and business partner to share the business with.
Let’s go back to the beginning. Can you both tell us a little bit about your backgrounds in the surfwear industry before you joined together to start Laguna Supply?
LH: I’m a product of the surf industry. My first job was in accounts receivable at Quiksilver back in the late 80’s. I was there for almost 15 years. Next came Paul Frank and then Hurley. When I left Hurley I was Vice President of Production.
DM: My mom was the first Stussy sales rep even though we lived in Texas at the time. She also owned a surf shop “In the Blue” so I grew up around the biz most of my life. It was a natural progression to move to California and carry on the tradition. My father worked for IBM and traveled to Cali often. He would bring back Stussy surfboards and we would have a line wrapped around the building. I got hooked immediately! I went to FIDM in Los Angeles and worked directly for Jim Ganzer at Jimmy’Z….anyone remember that? I also worked for Stussy for a few years and learned a ton from the master himself! I then went onto design my own junior brand called Spot Girl and then Sugar. Quiksilver literally came knocking on my door (Danny Kwock) and I became the VP of Design for Roxy for the next 10 years. Around that time I met Laura and we started to discuss a more balanced lifestyle. One where we could pick up our kids from the bus stop, actually workout, and still be passionate about something. That’s when we hatched the idea for Laguna Supply.
When did you both meet each other and start your friendship?
LH: Dana and I met at Roxy. She was new head of Roxy Design and as a way to meet the people she would be working with, she brought in a girl to shape eyebrows. That was the first time I met Dana AND the first time I had my eyebrows done!
DM: Haha…yep, that’s exactly right! I guess that was the glue for our friendship;)
How did you come up with the idea of Laguna Supply?
DM: We wanted a name / brand that felt local yet generic. Something that wasn’t limiting and we could do anything from clothing, home, gifts etc…and the hubbies might think its hardware…haha!
How did you decide where to open your first store in Laguna Beach, and second in Corona del Mar, California?
LH: We both live in Laguna and wanted to work in our community. We love the idea of shopping local. Corona del Mar came later and made sense since it wasn’t too far from home.
DM: We both commuted to Huntington Beach for years and although not too far, not in your neighborhood either. We both wanted to be a part of the community, golf cart to work. Well at least that was the dream, and see friends. We had a ton of customers that were from the Newport beach area so when we CDM became available it felt right.
What were your challenges early on as business owners in a new industry?
LH: Making sure we had the brands we love in the store.
DM: We are always on the hunt for cutting edge designers…that will always be what drives us.
What are your favorite things about what you do?
LH: I love buying for the store each season. I also like working in the store and meeting new customers.
DM: The best kind of day is when a customer walks out the door feeling confident, inspired and empowered. Best feeling ever!
What are some things that make it difficult being the owners of two stores?
LH: Understanding the differences and similarities of our customers and having the right product in each store.
DM: It’s the little things really. For example the size jean you need in CDM is of course in the Laguna location or vice versa. I also have a secret weapon named Laura Hart! She makes everything pretty seamless.
What do you do to make shopping at your store a special experience?
DM: Our motto is it’s about the relationship, not the sale. We also have a few in house personal shoppers, we will deliver to your door if you can’t make it in, memo out for 24 hours, layaway, complimentary hemming. Again it’s the little things. We want you to feel welcome, have a little fun, be relaxed and most importantly confident!
How often do you travel to buy for the store?
LH: We go to New York 3 or 4 times a year and try to throw in an occasional trip to Paris. We also do a lot of our buying in LA.
DM: We have shared more laughs and good food / vino than I can count during our buying trips. We just got back from NYC where we did a little side trip to the Hamptons. We left so inspired and ready to share that with our customers. Laura also travels often with her hubby and finds treasures to bring back to the store from all over the world.
Who is your Laguna Supply customer?
DM: Someone who is casual,creative, chic, and young at heart. She loves dresses, cashmere, jeans and tees. She’s not afraid of color, print and pattern. Loves a good sneaker or shower slide….and is never without some kind of simple diamond earrings, 14k gold necklace or stack of rings.
Which lines are your top sellers consistently?
LH: Xirena and Ulla Johnson have been topping the charts for a while now. Levi’s and Citizens of Humanity are our top selling jeans.
DM: Laura’s right. We sell those designers like crazy, but some of the brands we are most excited about are B Sides denim, Whit NY and Apiece Apart. We are also collaborating on a new project, stay tuned!
Do you have a new favorite designer that you see hitting it out of the park?
LH: I’m loving Mara Hoffman and Natalie Martin. They both make great dresses that are easy to wear.
DM: I couldn’t agree more! They are sooo our girl…colorful and happy that will take you anywhere!
How do you utilize social media to grow your business?
DM: To be honest, we are learning everyday. Instagram has been amazing and love how easy their format is to DM and then shop and / or make a purchase. It feels personal since on both sides it’s a direct connection to the consumer and buyer.
Where do you see your business going in the next few years-will you be opening another store? Will you be able to shop an online store soon?
LH: I’m happy continuing to grow the 2 stores we have. Never say never, but I think two stores is the magic number. We talk about e-commerce a lot!
DM: WE need to have T-shirts that say that…”Never say Never”! Haha!
Who knew we would have ever had a second store? We just go with our gut. I would love to get into e-commerce with Laguna Supply but not in the usual way….stay tuned!
How would you each describe your style, and who are your favorite designers?
LH: I’m a jeans and t shirt girl…and I have a weakness for shoes.
DM: Ummmm…..and diamonds Laura! That girl is never without her amazing vintage charms from her travels and hand picked items for the stores. As for me, I looove dresses! They are feminine and easy to just throw on and run out the door!
Whose style do you each admire?
LH: Tracee Ellis Ross– I love her look on her TV show and in real life. She’s not afraid of prints and color. And she always has a smile on her face.
DM: Yep. Same for me, but my favorite is Christene Barberich.
What do you admire about each other?
LH: Dana is an amazing daughter, mother and wife. Family is everything to her. She’s also never met a stranger and can carry on a conversation with anyone.
DM: I love her inner strength. She is loyal to the core and when she starts to laugh, she just can’t stop. She’s also a foodie and makes the best dinner reservations ever!
