2021 Gumbo final - Book - Page 138
138
sweet baton rouge
P
utting faith over fear, owner Meredith Waguespack
chronicles the 10 year journey of her brand, “Sweet
Baton Rouge,” and the opening of the company’s
local flagship store.
Inspired by Saturday night lights and Tiger football,
Waguespack launched her t-shirt company in 2010. A casual
person herself, she wanted a brand that was perfect for
tailgating and watching the Tigers play in quality, comfort
and style.
“Over time we started integrating more designs outside
of game day and started making shirts that encompass all
of our culture,” said Waguespack when asked about how
the brand has developed through the years. In addition to
football themed shirts, Sweet Baton Rouge has a multitude
of designs that display an array of Southern vibes and
Louisiana culture, such as Mardi Gras, crawfish and even
special events like Jazz Fest.
In addition to expanding the company’s apparel to all
things Louisiana, Waguespack and her team are all about
supporting other local businesses. Throughout the store,
one can see other local brands displayed and available
for purchase. Partnering with these merchants ignited yet
another fire within Waguespack, launching an entirely new,
yet not so different business venture.
Hence the creation of Local Pop Up. On top of being the
owner of Sweet Baton Rouge, she’s co-founder of Local Pop
Up, a company she started alongside her graphic designer,
that specializes in curating goods from local makers and
bringing them to one central platform.
Starting as a conversation rooted in passion for local
business, Local Pop Up officially came to life when it hosted
its first holiday event in 2018. A big success, it decided to
host the event again the following year, with its most recent
endeavor being the launch of its online marketplace. There,
consumers are able to purchase items from local merchants
and get their local fill.
So, what prompted this new store location that everyone
is talking about?
Roughly five years ago, Waguespack decided it was time
to move Sweet Baton Rouge into its first office. Two years
in, that office expanded into a showroom that, according
to Waguespack, “had the feel and vibes of a store but
[wasn’t] set up like a store.” It was more so a place where
people could come to pick up their online orders and where
Waguespack could display new designs.
After seeing an increase in traffic and pop up customers
over the last three years, she became aware that opening a
storefront location was a possibility that she should explore.
In January, wanting a place that fit the team’s goals
and vision, the search process began. The team ultimately
selected the electric depot as their new home. “Community
and local things are very important to us, and I can see that
this space will have those opportunities to create that,”
Waguespack said.
Although they originally hoped for a later grand opening
date on Aug. 1, Sweet Baton Rouge officially opened its
doors. “It’s going to be a fun five years here,” Waguespack
said.
Coming up on the fall season, she will be launching the
fall version of the Cozy Collection. In addition, everything in
the store will soon be shoppable via its website.
Waguespack also noted that she’s extremely blessed
and thankful for all the opportunities that she’s been given.
When asked about what’s the most rewarding aspect of
being an entrepreneur, Waguespack stated that, “To me, two
really big, proud moments I have are having the customer
support and the employees.”
There’s no doubt that we’re all in for some treats from
Waguespack and her Sweet Baton Rouge team.
New Baton Rouge themed
clothing store opens up on
Government St.