By Vaughn Williams

Antonesha Jackson, Owner of Exclusive Boutique, is all about making people as fashionable as possible. Exclusive Boutique has unique clothing and styles that have been known to turn heads not only in the Emerald City but across the country. Jackson, a beloved community member, spoke on #FeelGoodFriday today about Exclusive Boutique, events, and how to uplift small business owners.

Jackson, a Howard University graduate, started out in corporate America. However, like many before her, she found out that type of lifestyle was not for her. She was missing her own space and a community to give back to. 

This need for community was what led to the launch of Jackson’s clothing business, Exclusive Boutique. According to Jackson, having unique pieces in her catalog is important because she wants something you can only find at her store. Furthermore, Jackson brought up a topic that is very relevant in today’s society, the issue of body positivity. She has clothing for all shapes and sizes. She says she wants her clothing to be form-flattering, “I definitely don’t have an Instagram body.” said Jackson as she spoke about items in her catalog. 

“When it comes to pieces, the girls got them, so, you want to be able to mix and match on a budget with your Chanel bags or whatever. We’re really trendy, but we’re also like Macklemore said ‘thrift shoppers,’” said Jackson.

Furthermore, Jackson is really prevalent within community-based events where she can set up her shop as a vendor. She mentioned multiple events, including Black Wall Street on Memorial Day 2022, Juneteenth on June 17-19, Reunion on Union on July 16, and Umoja Fest on Aug. 5-7.

In specific reference to the Reunion on Union event, Jackson says this when talking about the importance of this event for families from the Central District of Seattle to come together. “A lot of us have moved and been pushed out to different communities, but we know which street our grandma’s house was on,” said Jackson. To Jackson, these events are about forming connections within the community.

“We’ve been able to collaborate with a lot of different people because we met them at Juneteenth, or we were able to use a space because we learned about the space on Black Wall Street it’s really about networking and learning about what our community has to offer,” said Jackson

However, these events are also a figurative gold mine for small businesses that can become vendors. “Sometimes people don’t have the opportunity to have storefronts… they might have great products, they’re just not amplified. It’s about amplifying these vendors,” said Jackson.

Jackson’s a dedicated community member and has helped put multiple of these events together. Feel free to check Exclusive Boutique at https://givemeexclusive.com/ or at their physical location 2002 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122

To those who are interested in becoming vendors at one of these events check out, https://www.africatownlandtrust.org/.

Make sure to catch the full interview above