Valerie Mayan: Pop Up Shop Visit

Well today was my second visit with Project Runway Star Valerie Mayan.  She is currently hosting a "pop up shop" in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland.  Valerie had invited me to the pop up shop when I met here at her pop up shop at Playhouse Square.  The shop was part of Friday's Art Walk in Tremont.  The art walk is featured monthly in the neighborhood, so check listings if you would like to attend.

The idea for the pop shop's came after Valerie's tenure on Project Runway because everyone was asking her where her store was.  Needless to say as a small business Valerie does not currently have the funds or stock to keep a store front full time.  I learned today "Yellowcake" which is her label name is a ONE woman operation.  She has some help at times setting up or taking down the pop up shops but it is not always a given.  There is NO paid employees currently. The pop up shops are "Our opportunity to introduce ourselves and our products to the community."  This shop was the fourth time doing it with the first being in Beachwood at Christmas time.


Last summer Valerie was fortunate enough to have fifteen college fashion design interns who helped with some things but NEVER cutting or sewing Yellowcake clothing.  She stated "that the standard in her opinion is that the designer you are buying from should do 98% of the work you buy."  I have to agree with her on that one.  It of course takes a lot of time and energy to give all those interns and she says "a lot of how it all works out is how badly they want to be there, how much they are willing to learn, as well as work and dedication like any other job anywhere else. It has been a pleasure having them." 

She calls her company a High Quality one "that is in it's toddler phase, who knows how to run but things like using a knife and fork is still being learned."  I liked the analogy the minute she said it in reference to the amount of work it takes to run a small business. She is  very thankful to the many Clevelander's who do support her business and she is also thankful to all the charity work she has done which has picked up since her exposure on Project Runway which in many ways brought credibility and visibility to her company which was opened a year to a year and a half  before the show. 

This came up when I got to talking to her about the "Made In America" series with Diane Sawyer and that how if the average American spent only four dollars a day on products made in America we could create at the least a thousand new jobs.  Valerie was intrigued by the idea but felt "that we had to have products that were above competitive to everything else on the market because with the economy the way it is we as Americans are currently under money strains to a degree and have to carefully pick and choose how we spend our money."  Again I had to agree.

Valerie is currently looking for investors, donors and sponsors so she could develop the Yellowcake label, because despite what some would consider "popular belief" contestants are not paid to be on Project Runway, that the only money dolled out is what you saw last season.

Upcoming pop up shops are in the works for the Ohio City area and Detroit Shoreway area.  Currently though you can catch Valerie March 18th from 11- 10, March 19th 11-10 and March 20th 11-4 in Tremont at 2406  Professor Avenue.

Thanks again Valerie for such a wonderful, fun, entertaining and edcuational experience you have been absolutely wonderful.  By the way every purchase made with Yellowcake 5%  of the purchase goes to support the Cleveland City Mission.