Humble Beginnings

“You have a very unique sense of fashion Rhonda Gary!!” exclaimed my mom every time I walked out the front door of our house in Laredo, Texas. Looking back, I am completely mystified how my mother let me go anywhere in public with some of my “get ups”. Growing up in the 80’s, I was surrounded by crazy colors and Punky Brewster. At the apex of my 1980’s fashion concoctions, I would sport different pairs of high-top converse interchanging the colors; one day would be left foot yellow and right foot pink. The next day was left foot pink and right foot bright blue, complemented with a crimpled side pony-tail accented by shorts and a mismatched shirt.

Thank God some phases don’t last forever and our tastes are ever-evolving. Moving forward through life I always cared about the way I looked, as most women do, but I never really discovered my fashion sense until after I graduated from pharmacy school. Some girlfriends and I had gone out for dinner and one of them asked if I had every considered being a stylist in my spare time. Huh?? Obviously she was mistaken and I promptly dismissed her remarks. Unknowingly a seed was planted that night and I began to exude more confidence in my choices of fashion and dècor. This seed spawned imaginations and day dreams of up-starting my very own boutique.

Truth be told, everyone of our dreams start off as a seed. God says in His Word, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” (Zechariah

I developed a simple plan and in January of 2015. I was ready to leap, as they say, except mine could be more accurately described as a very calculated stutter step. But nonetheless, it was a first step! I drove to market and excitedly bought my first few pieces. By the way, I was pregnant with our third child in less than four years. This definitely was not the ideal time to be starting anything new! But if you have a good man in your corner, and I happen to have the most amazing man on the planet (he made me put this) you can achieve just about anything. Thank you to my husband / counselor / encourager / all things good for letting me put this dream to the test.

I soon filled the front space of my friends furniture shop in Johnson City, Texas. Things began to happen from there. During this time, I started doing a monthly market called “Trade Days” that takes place outside a very popular touristy town named Fredericksburg. From here, my creative juices started flowing and my inventory expanded.

Today, I am now located in a quaint vintage shop off of Main Street in Johnson City. My retail space is for local residents and the flurry of tourists passing through the heart of the beautiful Texas Hill Country; however, I am focused on building my brand through my online clientele at highcottongoods.com because the reach is limitless.

Y’all let me just say that the road has been long, hard, and humbling. I strive to continually remind myself that hard work does pay off. My hope is that High Cotton will not only be a blessing to me and my family but to the community we call home. The dream is to have a brick and mortar and provide job opportunities in the area.

I shared with you my dream. What’s your dream? Have you taken the plunge? Fear is in fact a liar and if you fail, who cares! We learn more from our failures than we do our successes. At least you can say that you gave it your best and you will not have that nagging feeling of ‘what if...’ The seed of a dream planted in me is what continues to drive me in this journey. I am confident that I am doing what I have been called to do and I want to inspire other women to do and be the same. Thank you for your love and support! Come, be a part of my dream!

Rhonda

Owner of High Cotton Goods

Photography done by Sara Virdell