With walls covered in hand crafted boulder hats, knit alpaca scarves, trendy sweaters and ethnic jewelry, the brand name Unique describes the tienda perfectly. Founder Maria Stach is a veteran entrepreneur. “I used to own a restaurant,” says Maria. “Then one day, I woke up and suddenly being in the restaurant business no longer appealed to me the way it used to. I started looking for other businesses that would fit my personality. The concept behind Unique came naturally to me because I have a real love and passion for handcrafts.” The pieces in Unique are designed by Maria and made by local artisans.
Kaitlyn Ersek on left, Maria Stach on right.
“My biggest challenge was switching from the restaurant industry to the fashion industry. I had to learn a completely different industry and way of running a business.” For example, it took Maria some time to find the right artisans that would collaborate with her on designs, deliver on time and create a quality product.
Another big problem Maria faced was the location of her store. While the best locations for shops is the main drag in La Paz’s tourist district, Maria’s store is a few blocks away from the main shopping corridor. “My location hurts business. I need to constantly be handing out flyers and getting referrals from customers. My webpage didn’t seem to help matters, but Facebook and Trip Advisor have been extremely useful.”
While being an entrepreneur can be a challenge, “if you believe in yourself, you can make your dreams come true,” states Maria.
Check out Kaity’s finds at Unique! A cholita, inspired felt hat.
Andrew Bagwell on left, Kaitlyn Ersek on right with Unique's felt hat.