Here's something you may not know about me: I used to be a waitress. In fact, I was a waitress for a super long time before www.shopEBV.com became my full time gig.
I loved vintage for as long as I can remember & I have collected it since I was old enough to buy my own clothes. 8 or 10 years ago, I had a boyfriend whose mother I became very close to (& still am very close with) & she taught me how to sew, which, is pretty helpful if you want to consistently wear vintage, since a lot of times vintage pieces need slight repairs. I also like to alter vintage or repurpose it, which is something I couldn't do without knowing how to sew. Anyway, the relationship fizzled out with her son, but she was fundamental in inspiring me & my wardrobe. I am thrilled to have met her & have her in my life.
So, onto the story. So, here I am, way back, years ago, in college, waiting tables, collecting vintage, kind of (ok really) confused about what path my life is going to take. I'm at work. I've worked about 6 hours of a 10 hour shift...and in comes the man that kinda changed my life.
This man comes in with his wife & sits in my section. I am busy with another table & he sits there a few minutes before I make it over to greet him. (The place is PACKED & he can CLEARLY see me standing at the table beside him, helping them with whatever it was.) Anyway, I walk over there & say hello & apologize for the wait. He is immediately super cranky & rude. Doesn't think he should have had to wait...blah, blah, blah...anybody that has ever waited tables knows his type. Mr. I Cannot be Pleased No Matter What. I try to turn the mood of the table around being my typical bubbly self. Nothing works. When I realize he's just going to be this way, I decide to lose the bubbly attitude & continue to wait on him with a rather unaffected, blah attitude. This guy is full on rude jerk for the entire duration of his visit. They eat. He pays. They leave. I go to clean off the table & I find his credit card receipt with no monetary tip (go figure) & instead a little "message" in the tip line: GET A JOB YOU LIKE. (in all caps) Instead of running outside after this guy & explaining that I do, in fact, like my job, I just don't like jerks like him, I just stuffed the credit card receipt in my pocket & moved on with my day.
Later that night while I was cleaning cherrios off the floor underneath another table, I had an epiphany. This guy was right. I need to "GET A JOB I LIKE". Like REALLY LIKE. LIKE REALLY, REALLY LIKE. I went home that night after work & created the name & the original business plan for Everybody's Buying Vintage. I ended up quitting that job a few weeks later. Financially, I had to go back to it & I ended up working stints there several times over the next few years, but from then on, I always knew I would do what I love. And now, I do. Full time. Everyday. And I couldn't be happier. It's not always easy & it's not always fun (not going to lie...it usually is pretty fun), but I am extremely passionate about it & I think I'm really good at it. I am so appreciative for the support of my incredible, super hunky boyfriend & my family & of course, my unbelievably amazing EBV customers.
Now, the receipt is framed (pretty sure I wasn't supposed to take it home, oh well) & it sits on my desk. I look at it every single day & I am constantly reminded of the hard work & determination it took to make EBV the business it is today & it keeps me focused on making EBV what it can & will be in the future.
So, all that is to say, Mr. ICantReadYourNameAnymoreBecauseTheReceiptIsSuperOldAndFaded, I still think you are a huge jerk. I hope you have since found happiness & stopped taking your frustrations out on unsuspecting waitresses, but I also thank you. Your random act of rudeness inspired me to follow my dreams. You actually kind of changed my life.
That's all for now.
Cheers,
Savannah Marie
