Comcast RISE Allows Pinecrest’s Meadow Collective To Further their Eco-Conscious Fashion Movement
Updated: Mar 17, 2023
Meadow Collective boutique founder, Meadow Gerrish talks benefits of receiving Comcast RISE grant, Costa Rica beginnings, and sustainable fashion.
Meadow Gerrish has always dreamed of making her mark on the fashion world and bringing those around her along for the ride. She started her eco-conscious boutique, Meadow Collective, in 2005, but the journey didn’t always go as smoothly as she expected.
“Becoming a shop owner was an evolution [that was] a little by accident. But nothing is really by accident, is it?” says Gerrish.
In October 2022, Gerrish was forwarded an email with information on Comcast RISE, a program formed in late 2020 to give minority, small businesses owners the resources they need to survive and thrive through the COVID-19 pandemic. Comcast RISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment, had already invested $1 million in small South Florida businesses in 2021 owned by people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and Asian American owners. On the heels of its one year anniversary, Comcast RISE announced that they would be accepting applications again, in order to invest another $1 million in additional South Florida small businesses – now, including women-owned businesses.
A month later, Gerrish was thrilled to be awarded a $10,000 grant.
“I was like, ‘oh yes, perfect timing! I need this boost,’” says Gerrish, “The universe provides. You just have to go after things a little, work hard and stay consistent.”
Thanks to Comcast RISE, Meadow Gerrish has been able to evolve her business and welcome more customers into her “collective.” Focusing on its eco-conscious mission, Meadow Collective began offering a permanent jewelry line. It has quickly become very popular and “a nice boost to overall sales,” according to Gerrish. She also used the money to expand and promote Meadow Collective’s online presence through advertising and social media.
But before Meadow Collective began, Gerrish went to Miami International University of Art and Design knowing full well that she wanted to create a sustainable women’s line. Having always been eco-conscious, Gerrish was very aware of fashion’s waste problem and didn’t want her legacy to contribute to it. After graduating in 2005, she created her sustainable collection. It was produced locally in Hialeah.
“Creating [my] eco collection was a compromise with my conscience that I could do something to contribute to change, as well as fulfill my creative needs for design,” she explained.
While living between Miami and Pavones, Costa Rica with her husband and two small children, Gerrish opened up her first Meadow Collective storefront on the beach in Pavones. In addition to her eco collection, Gerrish also sold quality goods from sustainable artisans.
In 2017, Gerrish and her family moved back to Miami. She closed her shop in Costa Rica and opened a Meadow Collective in Pinecrest, where she is still located today. And the shoppers haven’t stopped coming.
“When I opened my shop in Miami, I already had a community of women who have been on my fashion journey with me for many years. The most important part of a successful business is your community. Without a community, you don’t have a business,” says Gerrish.
Now in its 15th year, Meadow Collective is not only thriving as a fashion oasis, also turning customers into conscious consumers who want their quality purchases to make an impact.
“We strongly believe every single thing we buy [showcases] the kind of future we want. We want a future where artists and designers are valued and paid well. We want to respect and preserve culture and the handcrafted lifestyle [and more],” says Gerrish. “We do believe that even our little shop can make a difference, especially in our local community. And we surely do make a difference in all the small business vendors we support.”
Continuing to look to the future, Gerrish can’t wait for more people to join Meadow Collective’s boho-chic, eco-conscious movement.
“The best thing about our customers is they are like our little family. We are so blessed with the coolest ladies in all of Miami - somehow they just find us! Our shop feels like a home, where you go to visit your super cool stylish friends and you can take things from their closet. And in today’s society, I think people just crave that real connection even more.”
To learn more and see how Comcast RISE has benefited Meadow Collective, visit their website at www.meadowcollective.com and their shop at 8245 SW 124th St in Pinecrest. To learn more about Comcast RISE and how it has benefited small businesses across the country, please visit www.comcastrise.com.