We recently had the chance to connect with Christina Weaver and have shared our conversation below.
Christina, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I am loving being outside with my family or a good book. The warm weather, sunshine and fresh air are everything right now. So grateful for good weather, good people and this time of year.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Christina, I am the owner and founder of Procure Saint Louis. We are a gift shop and the best stop for all St. Louis goodies. If you love the Lou, we are the place for you!
We source from dozens of small businesses around the region, most of which are women or minority owned. We LOVE fun little goodies that make us smile and hope that you do too. One of the best things about St. Louis is our people, and we are so proud to carry so many things that make people feel connected to our community. Whether it’s a candle with a scent that is inspired by a favorite neighborhood, curated gear from the Blues or Cardinals or a print of the arch, every piece in our store is collected because it gives us the warm fuzzies about our favorite city.
Procure started over three years ago as the first shop at City Foundry STL. We set out to sell products from local women and minority owned businesses only. Since we have opened, the one category that the community has loved the most at our store is the STL gear. So we decided this Spring to make a change, and transition the store to be ALL St. Louis themed. After a little store refresh – some new paint and fixtures we are so excited to be the best place for STL gear in town!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Whew, ok now we are getting a little personal! It’s always easier to chat about the brand!
I have been leading and creating small businesses and brands for over 20 years. Procure is just my most recent. I wish that I was better at stopping to reflect on how I got where I am or why I do what I do. I can say that new ideas and community building gives me life. I love the idea of creating an impactful business that has purpose and helps others where there wasn’t one before.
My family is has been entrepreneurs for many generations, but I was never the kind of business builder that was exclusively focused on making money. I probably should be more focused on that honestly. My businesses are very successful – but not always financially. They make social and community impact in ways that I am so incredibly proud of. There have been so many people along the way who have inspired me and challenged me.
That drive to create something that helps others and brings people together to feel connected has always been facilitated by key people at each step of my path. I can remember Cynthia, a boss at an internship in college who challenged me to have big dreams that accomplished large social impact. Rich, another dear friend three years later who planted the idea to start my first business – a fair trade retail store. Then Julie, eight years later who challenged me to start creating large community markets, and then Will two years after that who hired me for a job I wasn’t qualified for because he thought I could do it.
It’s amazing how key people are planted along our paths to nudge us along. It’s such a gift.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely! So many times, but that feeling for me comes in quiet moments and is quickly answered with a strong resolve that failure is just never an option. I just keep going until we figure out something that works. Success requires a tremendous amount of patience and creativity, time and difficult decisions.
Recently, I was planning to close Procure and just move on. The work of lowering the overhead cost, renegotiating a lease rate that worked for the sales, managing marketing and increasing sales (if possible) in a macro economic climate that is forcing businesses like ours to close daily was just TOO MUCH. Small, local retail – when you are not developing and sourcing your own product – is an almost impossible business right now.
Several realities made it very expensive for us to close, and after a lot of thought and deliberation we decided to rebrand and pivot instead. Pivoting is a lot more work than giving up, but I’m grateful that we are still in the game and making people smile every time they walk in the door.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I have to talk about social media for a minute. I, like many others, have gone from a love love, to a love hate to a hate/hate relationship with all social media. Ten years ago it was working for us, five years ago we hated it but it was still moving business ahead, now I’m not sure that the input in time, paid talent and paid ads that we give it are really creating a return for most of us.
However, everyone in our industry is so focused on it. It’s a huge part of our time, and sales strategy.
At Procure, we have found over time, that a strategically placed retail store in a high foot traffic development, coupled with a merchandising strategy that works for the people walking in our door is a more effective sales strategy than high quality and trending social media content.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I love this question because the coolest part about life is that it’s not an either/or. I love that there is so much emphasis on doing what we want to be doing, what makes us happy and what gives us joy. But the reality of responsibilities, bills to pay, our parents or mentor’s voices in our heads and what we think we “should” do is a thing.
I think the art of walking through your career over years is navigating how to do both. How do we in whatever job you have that you can have flexibility to make it what you want it to be and really find joy – but that takes years and patience and the willingness to work for longer hours, or in ways that you may not love. Doing the same thing over decades has given me the knowledge and confidence to make my work what I want it to be.
It’s tempting when we are early in our careers to expect a job to be what we want it to be in the first five or even ten years. But the reality is, it can’t be because we are not there, not because the job or position or type of work can’t be what we want or bring us the joy that we want it to.
It’s hard to have that kind of patient commitment and foresight. I believe firmly that I love what I do now because I stuck it out when people told me to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopprocure.com
- Instagram: @shopprocurestl
Image Credits
Please credit Jessica J Page for photography.
