Between preparing for the launch of her new business and Web site, Store Adore, planning her wedding in April and flying to Chicago to film a segment for the Oprah Winfrey Show, Meredith Barnett '00.5 has been busy. Last week, Barnett found time to talk to The Herald about Oprah, working with her best friend and the thrills of shopping.
Barnett hopes that Store Adore, her business endeavor in the works since June of last year, will soon become an essential online stop for savvy shoppers across the country. Timed to launch today when Barnett's appearance on Oprah is expected to air, Store Adore features nearly 1,700 extensive shop reviews, including online-only vendors and a public forum for shoppers to share their seasoned advice and offer tips on bargain hunting.
Potential users can rest assured that Barnett, less than a decade out of Brown, knows shopping. As an editor for Lucky magazine, Barnett scoured the United States for deals and designs before she enrolled in Harvard Business School in 2005.
"I would get to all these cities, and I know there's cool shopping here, but I wouldn't know where to go," she said. Sensing an opportunity, Barnett thought a community forum might solve this problem - and Store Adore was born.
"I thought this was something really helpful with people - a resource to look for what you need," she said.
Featured stores are hand-picked by Barnett, and because shop owners cannot pay to receive an editorial review, users don't have to worry about getting caught in a marketing gimmick. Even before its public launch, the site already features 1,700 store reviews written by Barnett and her editorial staff. Each store's dedicated page features an editorial review, a direct link to the store Web site and a hint of the labels to be found in the store. Users can search for boutiques near them, shops with specific products, or a certain vibe or style.
But Barnett said the site, which is free for users, caters to shoppers of all types, not just designer mavens or dedicated shopaholics. "It's not about the acquisition of the thing, it's about the experience, spending the afternoon with your best friend and meeting the shop owner," she said. "It's about discovery. It's about the places, and not about the things to buy."
Registered site members can create their own shopping profile, gain access to exclusive discounts and join the site's social network by sending other members messages, posting their own shopping guides and sharing information about hidden treasures or sample sales. Interactive maps allow user to select a region, pick and choose what stores they'd like to visit and print a map of their customized shopping expedition. Then, the maps can be saved and published to the community.
Barnett credits Cathie Black, a publishing legend and president of Hearst Magazines, with advising her current project at the nexus of business and media. Last week, Black filmed a feature segment on the Oprah Winfrey Show to promote her new book, "Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life)." The segment featured Barnett as a young woman whose career had been influenced by Black.
"I was less than 10 feet away from Oprah. It was so freaking cool," Meredith gushed. Barnett flew to Chicago for an on-camera interview with Oprah after the crew filmed Store Adore's temporary headquarters - Barnett's apartment.
Two of Barnett's Brown classmates have been crucial in getting Store Adore off the ground. Programmer Sharif Corinaldi '00 and Barnett were hall-mates in Everett House as first-year students, and programmer Ryan Mizuno, who attended Brown until his junior year, took classes with Barnett during their freshman year. Studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Barnett got her first taste of business as an informal travel guide writer. In Providence, she edited the guidebook "Around and About Providence" through Brown Student Agencies.
Joining the Brown trio at Store Adore is Barnett's childhood friend and soon-to-be maid of honor Cristina Miller. Miller recently left her job to work with Barnett full-time. Though mixing business with friendship may be tricky, Barnett said working with her best friend is a "wonderful dream come true."
"I remember one day we were in the throes of the negotiating part of the business, and it was a hard day for both us. That same day we were supposed to look at wedding dresses," she said. "I learned then, at the end of the day, no matter what we did we can still be friends and put things aside."
"To have somebody that you trust, that you know is going to get things done and pull through, that would never happen under other circumstances," Barnett said. "I don't have to worry about that. If someone else came in with different skills and experiences ... there's no way I could (ever) trust them as much."
What advice would Barnett offer to current students possibly interested in following her footsteps in the fashion and business worlds? "Remember that you aren't going to be the boss on the first day. We all have to work our way up. We're having the time of our lives, but it's not glamorous at all."
