147. ARCHIVE | Jenny Belushi & Heather Rosenfield

Summary

Podcast Summary: What We Wore - Episode 147 | Jenny Belushi & Heather Rosenfield

Host: Laura Vinroot Poole
Guests: Jenny Belushi & Heather Rosenfield
Release Date: August 20, 2024

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Introduction & Meeting the Guests

Laura Vinroot Poole welcomes Jenny Belushi and Heather Rosenfield, co-owners of Poppy Store, a renowned children's boutique located in the Brentwood Country Mart. The trio reminisces about their first meeting, highlighting the warm and genuine connection that would later form the foundation of their business partnership.

Laura Vinroopool (00:05): "Heather and Jenny, I'm so glad to have y'all here."

Early Lives and Fashion Memories

Jenny Belushi hails from Beverly Hills, LA, and shares her lifelong passion for fashion, influenced heavily by her chic mother.

Jenny Belushi (01:42): "My mom was always slack and chic and, you know, always going to New York and Gwen... she really got me into fashion."

Heather Rosenfield, raised in Northern California's Napa Valley, developed an appreciation for beauty and quality from an early age, inspired by her Francophile mother.

Heather Rosenfield (05:25): "I always loved it. My mother really loved the quality of things."

A Life-Altering Experience: Heather’s Rescue Story

Heather recounts a harrowing experience from her teenage years when she was the sole survivor of a boat wreck near Fiji. This traumatic event not only shaped her resilience but also instilled a profound sense of perspective and appreciation for life.

Heather Rosenfield (06:06): "I was airlifted... someone from the consulate came and met me. I stayed at their house for three days on the couch."

Laura expresses concern about the long-term impact of this experience on Heather, to which Jenny adds a light-hearted note about Heather’s calming presence.

Laura Vinroopool (08:38): "How many years of therapy have you had since that?"

Jenny Belushi (08:54): "A friend calls her Valium, human Valium..."

Heather reflects on how this experience has influenced her approach to life and business, emphasizing resilience and maintaining a positive outlook.

Heather Rosenfield (09:22): "It gave me a huge amount of perspective... taking a breath, and it'll be okay."

Career Paths Before Poppy Store

Jenny Belushi shares her diverse career journey, from starting at Benetton at age 14 to exploring roles in production and art history before returning to her passion for retail and jewelry.

Jenny Belushi (13:55): "I got a degree in art history and I didn't use it... then I had this itch to go back to retail."

Heather Rosenfield discusses her ventures into children's cashmere lines and interior design, ultimately finding her niche in retail that allowed her to balance work and family life.

Heather Rosenfield (15:39): "I did interior design right out of college... I wanted something that I could have more control over."

Founding Poppy Store

The conversation delves into how Jenny and Heather decided to partner and establish Poppy Store. They highlight their complementary skills—Jenny's expertise in front-of-house retail and customer relationships paired with Heather's design and editing prowess.

Jenny Belushi (18:07): "We were just friends... put us together as partners."

Heather Rosenfield (19:43): "Jenny is the retail, like everything retail... and I'm really interested in the editing."

Their first buying trip to Florence serves as a pivotal moment where they curated their store's offerings together, blending Jenny's funkiness with Heather's classic style.

Jenny Belushi (24:17): "We kept on ordering and ordering... We ended up placing like a $25,000 Italian ballet shoe order."

Partnership Dynamics

Jenny and Heather emphasize the natural synergy in their partnership, respecting each other’s strengths and avoiding overlapping roles. This harmonious collaboration has been key to their sustained success over the years.

Heather Rosenfield (25:35): "We have our roles that we're strong at and complement each other."

Jenny Belushi (25:48): "It was very natural... our mix together just kind of worked."

Business Growth and Expansion

Poppy Store experienced organic growth, quickly opening a second location in 2011. They discuss the challenges and strategies involved in managing multiple stores, including maintaining brand consistency and understanding different customer bases.

Jenny Belushi (27:06): "People were so excited to have a kids store there..."

Heather Rosenfield (31:08): "We have a remote team... make everyone feel part of a team."

Team and Company Culture

The duo fosters a predominantly female team, valuing work-life balance and encouraging employees to take time off to stay refreshed. Their inclusive and supportive company culture has been instrumental in building a loyal and dedicated workforce.

Heather Rosenfield (30:22): "We're big on encouraging... take some part of summer vacation so you can actually come back refreshed."

Community and Gratitude

Jenny and Heather express deep gratitude for the Brentwood Country Mart community, acknowledging loyal customers and the supportive environment that feels like family to them.

Jenny Belushi (35:17): "I'm grateful for our very loyal customers..."

Heather Rosenfield (35:54): "Everyone that works there really is like our family."

Personal Anecdotes: Prom Stories

The guests share memorable prom experiences, reflecting on their unique fashion choices and the lessons learned from their youthful adventures.

Jenny Belushi (46:37): "At prom, every single person was wearing my dress... different color, but no one had the white."

Heather Rosenfield (49:00): "I worked in a nice women's clothing store... long, black, form-fitting Nicole Miller prints."

Life-Changing Advice

Jenny Belushi cites her mother's advice, "Life is not a dress rehearsal," which empowered her to make significant personal and professional changes, including leaving a long-term marriage.

Jenny Belushi (45:07): "Life is not a dress rehearsal... I'm gonna live my life."

Heather Rosenfield shares a motivational quote from Grandma Betty, "Choose happiness," which serves as a daily reminder to maintain a positive mindset.

Heather Rosenfield (45:52): "You have to remind yourself to choose happiness..."

Conclusion

Laura Vinroot Poole wraps up the episode by highlighting the inspiring journey of Jenny Belushi and Heather Rosenfield. Their story underscores the importance of resilience, complementary partnerships, and a deep connection with community and family.

Laura Vinroopool (50:19): "What we wore is produced by Capitol and Balto Creative Media..."

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Notable Quotes:

• Jenny Belushi (45:07): "Life is not a dress rehearsal."
• Heather Rosenfield (45:52): "Choose happiness."
• Heather Rosenfield (09:22): "It gave me a huge amount of perspective... taking a breath, and it'll be okay."

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For more insights and future episodes, follow @whatweworepodcast on Instagram.

Transcript

[Heather Rosenfield]

Foreign.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I'm Laura Vinroopool of capital and this is what we wore. The back to school feeling in the air makes me think of my friends Heather Rosenfield and Jenny Belushi, the co owners of Poppy Store, a children's boutique in the Brentwood Country Mart. I hope this conversation shows you what a great partnership can create. Heather and Jenny, I'm so glad to have y'all here. And I'm trying to think when I think. I was a client of yours before I met you. Do you remember when we met? Maybe, I guess when we opened the store?

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah, we met a few months before at Farm Shop. You would come. Oh, yeah, yeah, you would come and we had a little lunch. You were opening, you were getting. Doing the build out or something.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Right. I was so excited and nervous, but so excited.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And I remember meeting you and giving you a hug right away and thinking you were like. You were just so warm. Like warm effusive and you had really cute clogs on. I remember that too.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yes, I want the listeners to hear more about y'all. Jenny, where are you from?

[Jenny Belushi]

I'm from la.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, yeah?

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

I'm from Beverly Hills.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

And I've been an LA girl my whole life, pretty much, other than college for four years in Arizona. And I've worked at probably every retail store in all of Los Angeles since I was. I started at Benetton.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yes. When I was 14.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I loved hiring people from Benetton because they were the best Folders.

[Jenny Belushi]

Folders. A good folder. And I'm a good sweeper because they didn't let me do much because I was young. But I just wanted to be in. I wanted that energy, that retail.

[Laura Vinroopool]

What's your, what's your first fashion memory, probably?

[Jenny Belushi]

Well, first fashion memory. Gosh. I mean, my mom, My mom, I mean, my mom was the chicest and.

[Heather Rosenfield]

She still, she still is the chic.

[Jenny Belushi]

Still is. But always like the Eve salon, you know, Yves on the wrong blouses with like, you know, the little ties. Yes, she really did. She was always slack and chic and, you know, always going to New York and Gwen, you know, Charles Jordan, which was like that place to go and Mon fries on. And so I always had like, you know, just always, you know, just so she got me into fashion.

[Laura Vinroopool]

What's, what's one experience from your younger years that has shaped your adult life?

[Jenny Belushi]

I think living in Florence probably for six months when I went overseas and just like seeing another culture and you know, and being away really for the First, I mean, just kind of went on my own and after college, or it was during college. During college, yeah, but not with a lot of friends. And just kind of, you know, and it was. It was. That was a. That was eye opening. And traveling around Europe after, it was, you know.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And it's so funny that you say that, because I did the same thing. And I lived in Florence also, and I was like thinking about how did we. Even if we traveled to Venice for a couple nights, how did we figure out where we were staying? There's no Internet. There's like. So I think we just.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Stars.

[Jenny Belushi]

You just kind of look at the stars?

[Laura Vinroopool]

Well, no, but you know what you used to do, Jenny? You would get to the train station in the town, you came and that one. There'd be like, people there that would say, like, oh, my grandmother has a flat down the street. Do you want to stay there? It's$40.40, not euros, I guess 100,000 lira at the time. And I mean, I do think. I think that's an interesting, Interesting thing to say because you had to be really brave, I think, to do that.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, it's. Yeah, we. And I went to some. Like, I traveled for like two months after school and. And did it without. You're right. Without phones.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

Rolled around a suitcase. I have to keep on buying suitcases because they would get like all like the bottom.

[Heather Rosenfield]

There might have been a shopping habit.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah, well, that is a question. So, I mean, were you into fashion then?

[Jenny Belushi]

Always? I've always been. I've always been into fashion.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

My whole life.

[Jenny Belushi]

I mean, I. And I kind of. And the same way, like, I fall in love with something and I get it in like four colors. Like, I. If I love something and I do, I just. I still do that. I mean, and I just.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Do you do it yourself or does somebody. Does anybody help you with your closet, like, to edit and does Heather help you?

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, I mean, I often call Heather for fashion advice. And we always, like, even when we're in Paris, we were like saying downstairs, like, are we wearing jeans? Are we wearing dresses today? Like. Right.

[Heather Rosenfield]

We're the best shoppers because we're like opposite. We really, really like similar things. But then what we end up. You know, we were talking about, like, high heels and flats or blouses, like, high neck and lower neck. Like, you're like, we're the. We're. We're very complimentary, but not the same.

[Jenny Belushi]

And I'll kind of always wear like a little bit of. Well, actually, you wear some Bright colors, too, actually, but a little bit. She's. She's more capital, Open, like a little fuchsia.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And Heather, you're a California girl.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I am Northern California born and raised.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And that's a different. That's a different aesthetic, too.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It is, yeah. I mean, there's not much fashion aesthetic. I mean, definitely. I was raised in a really small town in Napa Valley on a pretty big piece of property. We had horses and orchards and vineyards and not a lot of fashion.

[Laura Vinroopool]

So how'd you get into it?

[Heather Rosenfield]

I always loved it. My mother really loved the quality of things. She was also a Francophile. Like, she had a kind of a deep appreciation for beautiful things. And I think for me growing up in a natural environment, too, so I had an appreciation for beauty. And then, you know, guests opened up in San Francisco, and it's free and, you know, those sort of things.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Like, spree.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. I mean, that was. That was kind of my world there in San Francisco. So I think I did always love fashion. My sisters were, you know, into sports or into other things. And I really did love shopping.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Is there one experience from your younger years, Heather, that shaped your adult life?

[Heather Rosenfield]

I mean, I think if I think about work life, you know what influenced me? I think probably travel as well. Travel was a very, very high priority in our family. We traveled from a really young age. My dad was always taking us. Europe, Central America, everywhere. I was in Fiji. That was one of our summer travels.

[Laura Vinroopool]

With your whole family.

[Heather Rosenfield]

We were scuba diving, so it was on a boat for two weeks, and it was just with my stepmother and stepbrothers. And we were in. Yeah, we had been on the boat for about five days. In the middle of the night, we ran into a reef. And it was a big. It was a very big boat. And hours later, a day later, the Coast Guard finally. The Fijian Coast Guard finally was able to get there by helicopters. And I was the first to be airlifted because I was the youngest.

[Laura Vinroopool]

How old were you?

[Heather Rosenfield]

14. It was a storm. You know, it's like in the movies where they actually lift you off the boat. You're in a harness. And there was a complication with it. So I hid into the boat and things, and I got into the helicopter, and they said, we can't take anymore because we've never done this before.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, my God.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So cut to you. I was still in my wetsuit. It was hot pink and aqua. It was like whole fashion thing, by the way, obviously. And they brought me to the closest island, which was about an hour Away by helicopter. And they dropped me and they said, we will come back. And they didn't come back.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, my God.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So I was. For five days, I was there. And there was just native Fijian Islanders.

[Laura Vinroopool]

What. So what did you. And you.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It's a little bit of a strange.

[Jenny Belushi]

I have this whole.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It's a little bit of a strange story, but I think eventually what I realized, they celebrated me. They were incredible. They were kind. They wanted me to go to school. I was still in my wetsuit. I was obviously in shock. And I realized that nobody was coming back. And so there was a little airstrip, and I went when the mail plane was coming, and I got a ride to Suva, to the capital. And I arrived at the Suva airport on the landing strip still in my wetsuit. Someone from the consulate came and met me. And I stayed at their house for three days on the couch.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And they worked to figure out how to find the rest of your family.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Or, I mean, they finally rescued them, most everybody.

[Laura Vinroopool]

So nobody had come back after they dropped you? What.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And they all said, oh, your family's.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, my God.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Or the ship sank or they're all coming. Like, there was just kind of stories.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Scary, but so scary. How many years of therapy have you had since that? I need. I feel like I need therapy now.

[Jenny Belushi]

I actually have to add to this because she's. She's great to travel with and probably because of the story, because, Yeah. A friend of Friend of mine, our mutual friend, calls her Valium, human Valium, because she really, really is like, you want to be sitting next to her when you're on a plane because she's kind of like, it's going to be okay.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So do you think it's nice, my family. Jim would say she is not human value. I might get to see her lose her mind. But anyway.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

But do you think you. I mean, obviously you were born with that, but also this changed you. Like, do you think you have. Have you changed the way you travel or the way you, I guess, look at. I mean, every situation, like, how. Or do you. Or do you look for. You know, how are we getting out of this? What's. What's the.

[Heather Rosenfield]

What are the possibilities? Because I do an incredible thing. My dad actually had us do the next summer is he put us on another boat.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Good job.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It was actually in Indonesia, and that's just who he is. And he said, you know, it's gonna be fine. And so I faced that fear, but I never get onto a boat or anything. And I Don't want a helicopter pad. I would like a helicopter pad. Not to be fancy, but because it would be much easier if it can actually land on your boat.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Right.

[Heather Rosenfield]

If you can't have that, then I actually, like. I have a little bit of that where they stay on the plane. And I travel a lot. We travel a ton. Like, emergency exits. I'm like, okay, well, you should know, because it will. Could likely happen. But I think more than anything, that experience, whether, you know, traumatized or therapy or that. I think it just gave me a huge amount of perspective that in my best moments, I'm able to have, instead of getting too caught up in things, kind of taking a breath, and, you know, it'll be okay. We can handle anything.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Wow.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And a deep appreciation for government officials that are living in other countries. And, you know, did you ever reach.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Back out to them? I mean, it was an American. It was the consulate from.

[Heather Rosenfield]

From the U.S. yeah, I did. And I wrote letters to the people on the island and.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Wow. You know, Heather, that's extraordinary.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So it was. Yeah. I mean, it's. It's kind of like that little thing in my life that's happened, but I do think it's just. It's probably perspective more than anything.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Have you told the story to your children, your boys?

[Heather Rosenfield]

A little bit. They don't totally. I don't. I don't think they fully understand it. And it was also before video. I mean, it wasn't like, you know, it's not like going around on the Internet. There was actually a. Was it Donahue or. What is it, Ronaldo? There was like, a talk. An afternoon talk show I actually saw. No one had told me, but there was this whole thing about the shipwreck. It was on the news and everything, and I. There's a video of me being rescued. Seriously? Yeah. Which is not what I like to watch, but the kids understand a little bit, but it's a bit strange. And I just say it hopefully gave me perspective.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Wow. Unbelievable.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And again, my father, who, after I called him, I got back to land and I was able to call him, and they had heard it on the news, and they also didn't know if I was okay. And he literally said, oh, so glad to talk to you. He said, that's a fantastic story. I mean, nothing better.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Do you. Well, let me ask you this. Is your dad still married to your stepmom?

[Heather Rosenfield]

He's not. He's not still. He's not still married to my stepmom. And he also is someone who valued more Than anything. And we talk about our dads because I think when you have a father that loves you more than anything in life, you're just fine. But he valued going through life with grace and facing adversity. With grace.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah. Wow.

[Heather Rosenfield]

My children, I try to value other things as well, like, no having a good time or finding their passion or something like that. But no, I mean, I think that that was sort of part of it. And he set me up, I think, for success in that because we could handle it.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And I also think that you and I only have one. But when you have children, I think you. That right when they're born, you're like, you don't want anything bad to happen to them. You know, you want, you know, like, let's just keep them safe. Let's keep them happy. You realize that things like that really are the things that give you character and make you understand what grace is.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And makes you understand. I mean, with our children, we have them all, you know, you think so much about. You can't keep them away from danger or heartbreak or anything like that. Like, that's just the constant. So it's more about, you know, how do they handle it and knowing that they will be okay even though they're going through something difficult.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yep.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

So unbelievable.

[Jenny Belushi]

Wow.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And it was a Laura Ashley. So it was a wetsuit on the bottom because it was in the middle of the night.

[Jenny Belushi]

So you're like, you know, describe the fashion.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah, it was a hot pink wetsuit, but then it was a Laura Ashley nightgown on the top. So that is how I also arrived.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Awesome.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Six days later at the airport, still.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Well, that is. That's the best part of the story, obviously.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Back to back.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, I love that so much. Wow. What did you do professionally before Poppy? After Benetton?

[Jenny Belushi]

You know, I actually. So I went to school and I went for, you know, I went. I got a degree in art history and I didn't use it. And I went right. I came back to LA and went right into production because that's kind of what everyone does here. And I thought, okay, I want to. Going to do, you know, figure out what I'm going to do. So I started as a receptionist and I was really good at it. They really wanted to keep me there for a long time because I could, you know, figured out the. I'm good with electronics, the keyboard and all that. And I was like, okay, I need to move on from here. And I did casting and I like, I love books, so I just thought I would Be a natural with that. Just with reading and figuring out who the characters were. And I really didn't like it. And I just had this itch to go back to retail. I just, I knew that. Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

What part of it did you not like? It was just that it was probably pretty insular. I mean, you.

[Jenny Belushi]

It was. Yeah. And I didn't really like. And the process that I thought it. I thought it was going to be like you pick the characters and the best person gets the part. But I realized that it was really political of who gets the part and why and the studio. And I just, I didn't like the process and I, I kind of started it like kind of the lowest point. And I just saw, I saw. I just didn't like it. And the casting directors were all very unhappy and mean. I mean, that I worked for. And I just thought, I just can't. I don't want to be bitter.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

And I love fashion. And so I was like, okay. I love jewelry. So I actually got a job part time at Moondance right up the street here in Montana. And I. And then I started yoga and I. And I thought maybe I'll, you know, just kind of be. Do kind of yoga. And I just did. I was just trying to find myself.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

And then I just found a love of jewelry. And then from there I just went back to retail and.

[Laura Vinroopool]

What about you, Heather?

[Heather Rosenfield]

I had a children's cashmere line. I did interior design right out of college. And then when I had my first child, when I was basically a baby, I realized that it was. I took them to a lot of job sites and I brought them with me. But I realized there was a lot of being in other people's houses and worlds and I wanted something that I could do that I could have more control over.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And he now is 21 and there was, you know, I had a boy. I was really, really happy to have a boy, but I was a little. The only thing I was disappointed about was the clothing, kind of, kind of lack of selection.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And my mother in law at the time was an incredible knitter. Cashmere. The most beautiful knitting. So I started just with cashmere. Cashmere layout.

[Laura Vinroopool]

You were here in LA as well?

[Heather Rosenfield]

I was in LA and then we moved back up to St. Helena.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Okay.

[Heather Rosenfield]

With.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And then how did y'all meet?

[Heather Rosenfield]

That's a good story. That's a good story.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yes, we did. We. Well, we met. Gosh, I think we met a long time before then because I was pregnant with her best friend and we became Best friends. And so we not, like, partners pregnant.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Together, but in the baby group.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, sorry. I'll be a little bit clear about that. Yeah. This whole other part of the story. Oh, no, no. We were in a baby yoga group. This. This guru Mook was her name. And she's across town, and, like, now she's a Sikh. And we would go to her. You know exactly who she is. And we met in this class, and. And she was a bit younger than me, so it was almost like a little bit of a. Like a younger sister, you know? And so she talked about her friend Heather, and I think I had, like, a little bachelorette party that was the first time that I met her. And, like, because I felt like she was not. She didn't get to have a party before she got married. And so I said, let's do a little party for you. And Heather came. That was. I think that was the first time I met you. Right.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. And I was pregnant, and it's really fun to go to a bachelorette party when you're really pregnant.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah. That's life of the party there.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. Yeah. That was what. That was when we first met and knew each other.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yes. And then we kind of met, you know, here and there, and she kept on talking about us and putting us together, just, you know, I think she. She said a lot. I think she wanted to actually get into retail herself, but she's way too busy, so I think she, like, was kind of, like, living vicariously. And so she said, we're gonna, you know, sit down and have a business meeting and really talk about this. And Heather had had her. Her cashmere line.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

At the time.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

She said, okay, we're having a ladies lunch at La Scala. And it was like. And when she said, like, she means business, she puts, like, her business thing on, and she's like, okay, guys.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

This is not just, like, friends. I want you guys. We had our chopped salads.

[Jenny Belushi]

We did.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Was it. And was it partnership at first sight? I mean, did y'all.

[Jenny Belushi]

It kind of was. I mean, I loved. I loved the cashmere. I love trunk shows, and I love dressing my children. I mean, I was, like, that first person in hosting for all of the brands, a lot of the brands, actually, that we put in our store when we. We open. Actually, I just. I love dressing my kids.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

And. And I. You know, and I couldn't find what I wanted in the stores, so I did. I went to the trunk shows, and so I hosted a trunk show.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. And it was. It was amazing because I think what Reese saw, she saw two friends, her two dear friends, and she saw that we were very different with complimentary skills. And I think that your love of personal relationships and trunk shows and being like, the best hostess and, you know, like, having this relationship with all these brands. And then with me, I was kind of always in the back, like, making things, and it was, you know, about the production and things and the beauty, but I wasn't as comfortable in the front, kind of like front of house. And I think that whereas she. She thought how well we would do together as partners. And I think with everything that Jenny and I do, it takes us a while. And because we're both really respectful of each other and kind of we take time to process things and we don't do anything unless it feels very right.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, that's true. And it was great because when we did decide to do this together, I mean, it was going to be. I think it was going to be part of. First we were going to design. That was our idea. And then. And then the, you know, the space came available.

[Laura Vinroopool]

The space at the Country Mart.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah. So that kind of diverted, like, you know, the plan of doing that. Right. So. But it was very. It was just really simple for us to do that. It was like, Heather has a great design sense, and she was like, this is how it's going to look. And this. And I was like, okay. And this is. And we decided this is what's going to be in it, and we just went for it. I mean, we didn't know what we were doing, but we did it. We got on a plane and went to Florence, and we went to the shows and we figured out what we wanted in the store and we curated it together. And I'm a little funkier, and she's a little bit more classic, and I think our mix together just kind of. It just. It worked.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And at the time. Did y'all have. You both had young children at the time? Yeah. So I always wonder, like, is there a point where, like, where does it turn from being. I'm really interested in this because this is a really big part of my life every day to. I mean, your children are all grown. Is it still equally interesting?

[Jenny Belushi]

I mean, I could, you know, say that I love dressing my kids from the store. It was great at first, and I kept on saying, you know, as they were getting older, because now they're 20 and 20. I can't believe I still love this.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I love.

[Jenny Belushi]

And I. And. And we do. When we go to Paris, like, we see the lines and we just, like, we go into the zone, you know, I mean, you go into the zone, and we are like. You're just in it and you're editing it together and we're picking together, and we just like. And I love the kid. I think it's actually really fun to do kids.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I think it's easier now that you. You don't. It's not part of your everyday life almost at home, because it's a little.

[Jenny Belushi]

It is a little bit separate. But I. I don't know, I was able to do. I don't know. I just. It was just very natural for both of us. I mean, and it still is. It's.

[Laura Vinroopool]

You know, and you had worked in. In retail and fashion. Retail and also jewelry. And so was. Was that a. Was that a totally different direction for you to do children?

[Jenny Belushi]

It was. It was completely. It's a different client.

[Laura Vinroopool]

It's a different client.

[Jenny Belushi]

And I would have never thought I really wanted to do jewelry. I actually got really close to getting a space for jewelry store and. And then got pregnant, you know, like, but. And I. But I got very close. And I love women's fashion, too, but I feel like for some reason, it was just so different. And there wasn't anything like what we were doing, right? Pretty much. I mean, maybe New York City or, you know, there's a couple stores that we would.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Well, I think we always approached it from. I mean, because we did have young kids at the time. I feel like I will always have young kids, 21 and 7. A big spread. But I think we always approached it. What we loved about it was the editing. So we didn't necessarily look at it like, this is a world of only children's clothing. I think we looked at it about the space, about the retail experience, the design of that. We definitely. I mean, we've always said we. We travel very far to find lines. We're not really interested in just, you know, going the easiest. Having. Yeah, right. Having what everybody has. So I think it mixes travel in. It mixes, you know, design. We've started. I mean, we started carrying, like, Saint Veija. You know, we were the first to carry Veja. That was a long time ago. But that was because we would go to Paris, we would buy, and then we'd always go to the store in the Marais. We had to go there, and we'd buy and we'd come back and people are, you know, what are you wearing? And so then the next season, we talked to them, and we Brought a really small, you know, like a women's collection in Veja. And then that same thing happened with the line Sewer, which was an incredible line where they were doing a older girls line. And then they transitioned and then we had. They were the first to carry this very small, edited women's sign. And so I think we've been able to. We've been able to bring our interests into it and bring some of the lifestyle part as well. And I really do think that children's. Children's fashion has always felt really happy to me. And people are joyous.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, that is the thing. When kids come in and you're with parents, they want to buy. Women sometimes are like, I don't feel so, you know, I don't feel good about it.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I've gained a little weight.

[Jenny Belushi]

You know, it's a little bit different. And with kids, it's joyful. Like people. Grandmas want to come in and buy gifts. And so it is. Yeah, it's a little bit different.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Was it clear right away that you complimented each other as business partners? Because that part's really hard, I think.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, I think it was completely. It was, it was. It was very natural. And we just. I mean, we giggle all the time. We had. So. I mean, I just think of our very first buying trip when we were in Italy.

[Heather Rosenfield]

We had no idea what we were doing. Yeah, but how did you learn that way?

[Laura Vinroopool]

How did you figure it out? You just made it up like I did.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I have no idea.

[Jenny Belushi]

But we ended up in that shoe. We ended up in that shoe section. I'll never forget. There was like, high top tables, and they had the cutest shoes with these, like, little kitty cat like eyes. And we were like, we were obsessed with these shoes. And they were serving us champagne. And we just kept on ordering and ordering and ordering. And I think it was like the.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It was. And the guy and I. It was like. And then I, you know, it's like, and you must go to this restaurant. And then, here's some more champagne. And then all of a sudden. And we had never ordered shoes before, let alone anything. So we started. I think it's size 22, which is like a baby foot. And then we went up to 41, because I'm like, this is amazing. I can fit into. You know, like, you sell well. Oh, my God.

[Jenny Belushi]

I don't think. I think they were in that stock for a really long time.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah, it was.

[Jenny Belushi]

It was. We finally got rid of them.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I mean, our entire budget. I think we. I think we placed like a $25,000 Italian ballet shoe, Kitty cat orders, and they just arrived. And we're like, we don't even know what to do with this. We used to also order things and then we would keep them in the stock room because we were worried if we put them on the floor, they'd sell and then we wouldn't have anything. We didn't get it all.

[Jenny Belushi]

It took us. It took us a minute.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I love this.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So we learned.

[Jenny Belushi]

We learned.

[Heather Rosenfield]

But no, I think the complimentary part, I think we've always had our roles that we're strong at and complement each other. And we honestly never had anything where we. Where. Where we overlap too much.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Because I think we just have a really comfort, a great comfort. I mean, Jenny is the retail, like everything retail, everything. Front of house, customer relationships. I mean, everything like that. And that's what I'm not as comfortable with.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Interesting.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And that allows us to. You know, I'm really interested in the editing. I'm really interested in the design. I'm interested in. And I think it just complements very, very well.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

How amazing to have been put together. Really.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And to have been pushed to be together.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Right.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Doesn't sound like you would have done it on your own. Possibly.

[Jenny Belushi]

Probably not, actually.

[Heather Rosenfield]

No, I don't think.

[Jenny Belushi]

I think it was just all the stars were aligned, actually. I feel, you know, I really do feel that way. And it's. It's been a really fun journey. And we were thinking. We were just actually talking about it and we started in 2007, so it's been like. We are like we're going to have 15 years.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I mean, I also love it because, I mean, 2008, 2009 were literally the worst years in retail ever. But I also think it's kind of an oddly good time to open a store because. Or a. Because it can only go up. I mean, it cannot be worse than this. And so you're really. Your expectations are really managed. And so I think you probably. You're really successful because you start at the bottom.

[Jenny Belushi]

Right. But I remember the first day when we were open, we had like a line out the door.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Really?

[Jenny Belushi]

People were so excited to have a kids store there. I mean, it was great. It was. Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

How long until you opened your second location?

[Jenny Belushi]

So I think the second one was in 2011.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Right, right.

[Laura Vinroopool]

That was pretty quick.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that was pretty organic as well. Because I was moving. Yeah, yeah. You know, it sort of. I was moving. It made sense. I mean, it was what, four yeah. Four years.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And then what was that like to work remotely or to be apart? I mean, how often did y'all see each other?

[Jenny Belushi]

That made me sad.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

It wasn't.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. We had to learn.

[Jenny Belushi]

That was hard to not be in the office together every day. And we had lunch together. That was. Yeah, that was. That was a hard one for me.

[Heather Rosenfield]

When you moved, because we would very much. I mean, we would drop the kids off at school, and we were. Would arrive at that office at 9, and we would have our coffee and we would sit and talk about the day. And, you know, I would get to work, you would go down to the store and do the work. And then we would start talking about what we're gonna have for lunch a little bit later. And then, you know, so I think that was. We had to. We really had to learn skills to.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Partners that weren't two feet away from each other.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

And make the time, you know, make phone calls and all that.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Which I think, in a way has. Has it kind of helped us prepare for now.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Exactly.

[Heather Rosenfield]

We have a remote team. We have someone in. In Greenwich. We have someone in Nashville. We have our office. You know, we always call our. Our HQ office. We've got up in. Up in Marin. We have our Brentwood office.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Wow.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So. But it really is built on how do we, you know, how do we all work together and make everyone feel part of a team, even though we're not right next to each other?

[Laura Vinroopool]

And how big is the team?

[Jenny Belushi]

Oh, my goodness. It's grown. It's really grown. Especially since COVID It's grown, you know, but I would say we're like. I mean, including, like. Like staff on the floor.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Six. We have. We have about. We have about eight, I would say, which are, you know, like headquarters. Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And then we have a retail.

[Laura Vinroopool]

All women.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yes, women.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And what's that like?

[Jenny Belushi]

I think it's. I love it.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It's incredible. And we always say when we put. When we go to look for someone, when we have a, you know, we. We're looking for a web assistant or anything. I always laugh because we actually just hired somebody. And I was a little hesitant because I'm like, ah. They keep coming up as being the best person for the job. And now I'm going to have the, you know, the FaceTime with them. And. And I. It was the first man that we were going to hire, but I'm like, but he's so good. And this.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And so it comes on. Zoom. And there she is, a woman. Samantha. And I was like, wait, but this is Sam. You know, and it was. And it was so funny because I kept. Like, I just. It wasn't that there was any problem. I was really looking at the resume. And I love the call before we had the FaceTime, but I feel like we. So we don't make a rule of it, but we have this incredible, incredible team.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Of women. And it's.

[Laura Vinroopool]

It's.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I think about that all the time when I go to work every day. I think about the people I get to work with.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And women of all ages, which I.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Think all ages and different challenges, and we have kids and juggling things but doing, like, getting incredible amount of work done.

[Jenny Belushi]

And we always say when we hire. End up hiring someone, like, we, like, this is this. We want you to work really hard when you're here, but we understand you have a family and a life and. And, you know, don't take this home. Like, I mean, really. We really think it's important. You know, it's important people balance is everything. Work really hard to balance all the time.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So, yeah, work really hard when you're here. Get it done. Go have a weekend. We're big on encouraging. We really like the European model. It doesn't. We don't take it that far. But the European model of you have to have.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Taking July off.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah, no, taking a few days in July off, but taking some. Some part of summer vacation so you can actually come back refresh. Because I think we feel that all the time, like, we need. We need to go get inspired. It's very important. And then you come back and you're happy to do it.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah. I always say that, especially about the women leaving for maternity leave, is that I don't want you to feel like you have to come back. I want you to want to come back. And how do you structure your career so that it is something you want to come back to? The other locations, was that hard? I mean, only selfishly, having done it myself and probably not done it super well. I'm still figuring it out. But was it different? Did you have a different matrix, a different vendor matrix, a different. I mean, are the clients different?

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah, definitely. And I think that was really helpful for us figuring that out, because being that it was our first store, our first expansion.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I don't think it would have been as successful if we didn't have one person in each place. I mean, I was there dropping my little kids off at school, seeing what people were wearing, you know, kind of at the very beginning you're the face of it. You're trying to grow a business and you're kind of, you know, doing the song and dance and hey, we've got a drunk show. Hey, we have, you know, come see us. We're gonna. We have women's coming in, women's collection. Like, we're. We're constant. And I feel like that was a good one to two years of really growing that and understanding what people and the customer wants.

[Jenny Belushi]

Because I mean, in Marin, it's like you could. You could bring the same thing from Los Angeles and they just won't do.

[Laura Vinroopool]

It because they just cut the label out.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, they just. There, it's. It's almost like they don't. They don't want to have that.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Interesting. And do you travel up there?

[Heather Rosenfield]

I think. I think what is interesting about what we. What we've learned is that the customer. The customer in Marin didn't really have anywhere to buy things. So they're used to traveling and buying.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Right.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And that happens in a lot of areas that aren't. That don't have great shopping.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Everywhere. So I would have customers that came in and say, oh, I just got back from Paris. I already got that at Bonton, you know, but when are you getting this? And so it was an incredible customer. They were so happy to have us. But the education of what they knew they were buying.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Was pretty great. So we had to. It kind of kept us on our toes as far as brand knowledge, as far as also I feel like we offer quality. We don't just want to put things, you know, we're sensitive to a very high price point. Even though if people can buy them, we want to make sure when we're selling it, it's worth it. It's a really beautiful dress for that price.

[Jenny Belushi]

And that the sales girl knows exactly. And it can explain to the customer why they're spending that money.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And there's a sort of edit. We all laugh. It's like the high, low edit. But it's always how I've dressed my kids. Whether it's you've got the Bonton for a special occasion or. And Supergas are amazing. Or Javianas. Like we're always very careful to have that. Different price points, which you can do with multi brand.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So I think that. I think we got very good at that in Marin. This kind of like what is the DNA of Poppy? You know, what are the brands that we will have at both stores and if we open more stores, what are those brands? And then we maybe have the 20% that's different. Yeah, but we have that kind of core.

[Jenny Belushi]

Right.

[Laura Vinroopool]

You know, I never asked this.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Why.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Why Poppy?

[Jenny Belushi]

You'd think it was a more interesting story, but it's really not. We were actually driving on Sunset. I know. I know exactly the moment. We're just passing, like, Barrington, and we were like, it should be like a flower. It should be right. It was like, it should be a flower, like, Poppy. And it was. It was very quick, and. And I think I was like, poppy. And you were like, poppy store. And it just. It all kind of just was like, poppy store. It wasn't just like, poppy. And we just liked the way it rolled off, and that's.

[Heather Rosenfield]

We knew it would be a flower. A flower that could also be a name. My first line was Clementine in the same. And I think we became. Well, you had a girl that you got to name, but I have four boys, so I have lists of girl names. And. Yeah, I mean, it was sort of like. And the funny thing is now with Poppy, there's probably five poppies that come in to the store now.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Really?

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I love this.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. And we always say. We. We say we make these canvas bags, and we're like, if you. If your name is Poppy, you get can free canvas puppy bags for life.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I love that. So this is a series on the Brentwood Country Mart. Can you tell me what you're most grateful for to the community around the Country Mart?

[Jenny Belushi]

I would just have to say our very loyal customers. I mean. I mean, we have loyal customers. I mean, they come. We have to do a lot of re. Merchandising. I mean, they come every day. I mean, they do. And they. They come for lunch, and they bring their kids, and they shop, and they. They want us to be there.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

I mean, they. And during. You know, after Covid. And during COVID they. They were calling, and we would do FaceTime, and they were just super, super loyal.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

So I would say that I'm grateful for that.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Yeah. Which is basically like your family, because pretty much everyone at the Country Mart you're related to in some way. No, I would say the same. And I would say. I mean, and. And we also have an incredible community at the Country Mart, which is everyone that works there.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Really is like our family. I mean, Jenny has her secret parking spots, and we have the, you know, the special person to make the iced tea, and we have, you know, Clementine there who always gives us a hug. I mean, it's just. It's incredible. It really really is incredible. And it is a family, so it's.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Such a special place. Your own families and children stand out to me as focal points in your lives and not just your business. Jenny, will you share more about your big family in LA and the sense of belonging that it's given you?

[Jenny Belushi]

I have a huge family here. Just, I'm. Everyone laughs at me. They're always like, is that your cousin too? Like. Because I do have a lot of. A lot of family here and we're constantly getting together. Most Sundays we're together. If there's not, you know, all of us are together and. And we always have family Sunday dinners. My mom usually hosts them. And I. I've just. I've always felt like, you know, people are always like, LA can be lonely or LA can be, you know, can be hard here, and it can be. But I've always felt like a sense of belonging just because I have so many family. My. I think my cousin gave me my first job here in production that I was telling you about. I just have always felt like I know everyone. I mean, people say that I'm kind of like the mayor.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah. Yes.

[Jenny Belushi]

They laugh me because, like, when I go to the Country Mart, it's like, I can't have lunch. I cannot have lunch there because I'm usually talking to people as they're walking by, you know, every.

[Laura Vinroopool]

But like, you said to. You've been coming since you're 13 years old.

[Jenny Belushi]

I. Yeah, I have. I have a lot of friends in LA and I'm. I love them, my friends and my family too, you know.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So you're sort of the best representation of L. A too. Yeah, Yeah. I mean, and Jenny, she'll always know. Like, I didn't know how to drive in LA when I came, I had no idea how. And Jenny be like, oh, no, no, no. You just have to take this street to this street to the street. Or, you know, it's like, if you want the chopped salad, this is where you go, but if you want the turkey sandwich, you go here. It's just. And you've always been so free with those kind of sharing.

[Jenny Belushi]

Sharing.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Incredible.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

There was one shortcut on Sunset that I regret sharing a long time ago started. It's not a shortcut anymore, it's not any longer, but in ways now has picked it up too. But, yeah, I do know every shortcut in every way around la. Like, I had to meet someone the other day. Like, how did you get here so quick? And I was like, I know every back street. I took Buses to school. And I, you know, I watched the Roots and. Yeah, so, yeah, I do.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And Heather, what about you? And I want to hear about how you met your husband, Jim.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Okay. So no family in la. When I did move to la, yeah, I actually moved when I. That's how we. I met my best friend Reese, who introduced us and we were neighbors. I left college early, dropped out to move to Beverly Hills and we lived next door to each other. And I was incredibly lonely. Besides knowing her, I didn't know anybody. And it ended up that the only place that I would go was the Country Mart. Really, because it felt to me like my hometown.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And there was a post office and it wasn't exactly what it is now, you know, it was just like starting to change and. But I knew how to get there. And I didn't have to take many left hand turns at all, which was helpful because I was terrified of driving. And I would just. When I wasn't working, I would just go there and I felt. It just, it felt familiar and it felt like, you know, home. And one day I pulled in and this guy, this was standing with a few valet parkers and I pulled in with a bunch of kids in the back and to see Santa Claus, it was December. And he said very loudly, welcome to the Brantwood Country Park. And oh my God, I love that. And I just. And he had like his three valet parkers all standing there and then they all said welcome. And I just looked and I thought it was so strange. And I was trying to get quickly to Santa before he left. And Jim introduced himself and offered to carry the bags and just as a customer, you know, I was a customer driving up and that is how we ferry the first time we met.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I love that. What do you think your children think about what you do? Do you think they recognize all the work that y'all put into this and what it means to you?

[Jenny Belushi]

It's interesting. I think my kids didn't really get it. I mean, I think they love coming in the store and getting the candy and bringing their friends to get candy. I think that was like a big plus for them. I brought Jamie, my daughter, to Paris once with us.

[Laura Vinroopool]

How old is she?

[Jenny Belushi]

She's going to be 23 next month.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenny Belushi]

23. Yeah. And she worked her butt off. Yeah, she really did.

[Laura Vinroopool]

She realized how hard it was.

[Jenny Belushi]

She was on the ground there working, she was taking photos. She was doing everything. Because then we did the photos and we don't do it as much anymore, but because Everybody sends you the photos of, you know, everything. She worked hard, and she would come home at the end of the day and she said, mom, you like you work your butt off. And I was like, I know. And she actually came home and she said it in front of my son. And my husband is no longer my husband, but said, mom, mom works hard. She almost announced it to the table. And I was like, yes. No one really got. Was a lot of work.

[Heather Rosenfield]

My kids have always come to work. I mean, from the. From the very beginning, they would. You know, they would end up at Poppy and, you know, the little ones running around and be in the office. And I think they've. They've always. They've only known me working, and they've also known how much I love my work. But I'm also married to someone who really loves his work. And there's not a trip we go on. There's not. There's no difference between work and life.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

It's all one. Agreed. So I think what I hope to show them is that I remember one actually said, sometime, you know, do you actually have to work? Do you really have to work because you work a lot. And I said, you know, I'm fortunate to be able to work and do what I love. And I hope to show them that. Love your work. You know, it's not.

[Laura Vinroopool]

It's not easy, but so rare. Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So I think that's kind of all they've known. Truman. My. He was actually on a plane.

[Jenny Belushi]

Gosh.

[Heather Rosenfield]

He was five weeks old. To China when he was five weeks.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Old with me to the cashmere factory. Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

And it's funny. Cause I actually just recently showed him pictures. He was on a table in a factory being held by a lovely woman. But that idea of like. Yeah, you just go, you know. And I think I didn't have the choice of having spread out. I mean, having a time when I worked and I didn't work, I just kind of always worked and I always had kids.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Did your mom work or did your stepmom work?

[Heather Rosenfield]

My. Yeah, my mom did work. She did work. And she. She was at a time when it was. She was a teacher, a French teacher. But then when we moved, there was, you know, she lived in Napa Valley, and there was no job. But she ended up giving winery tours in French. So that was kind of her.

[Jenny Belushi]

That was.

[Heather Rosenfield]

She was all sort of. And then she ended up working at winery. So she worked part time. She didn't, you know, she didn't work that much. And I don't Think it was as fulfilling for her. You know, I think it was a lot to manage, but I think I'm constantly feel really fortunate that we get to have this work that we love.

[Laura Vinroopool]

If you could describe each other in a few words, what would you say?

[Heather Rosenfield]

Oh, my goodness.

[Jenny Belushi]

Few words. Well, I would say. God, that volume story. She. She is. She's. She's. She's. She is. She is super calm and an amazing friend, by the way. You are an amazing friend. And incredible style. Incredible, like, the way that you just kind of go in there and you can just look at the colors and. I mean. And I'm very visual as well, and we share that. But, I mean, she just, like, can do any room. She can be. No, you want that green there, and you want. There, there, and you want that. And I'm like. And it's just so impressive to me how. How clearly you see things like, you know, and how clearly it just all makes sense to you. And I mean, those are two things. And I think you're a great businesswoman. I look to her sometimes to, you know, to deal with most of the operations because she's, you know, she just is very clear about it. And I'm a little. You know, I'm a little bit more like she said in front of house, and I want everyone to kind of get along, and I'm a little bit of. And she's kind of can, you know, make a decision sometimes a lot clearer than I am.

[Laura Vinroopool]

How about you, Heather? What about Jenny?

[Heather Rosenfield]

That's so kind. I was not prepared for this. So kind. I don't even have to think about it. Jenny is the most generous and the most kind and the most loving. Like, to have her as a friend. You are lucky for life. And every single one of your friends feels that way. I mean, really so nice. Okay. No crying. No crying. But that was easy because it's.

[Laura Vinroopool]

We asked you both about advice that changed your life, and, Jenny, you said, life is not a dress rehearsal from your mom.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah. And that one has actually played pretty big in my life in the last couple years. It really, you know, just. Especially Covid, you know, like, I think it became really clear to a lot of people on how they wanted to lead.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Jenny Belushi]

Their life and. And me with knowing that we were gonna make changes at Poppy. That was a big thing. We kind of just went for it and made huge changes. And I, you know, left my marriage after 20. Over 20 years, you know, so. Yeah. So it was a big. You know, a big. And that word, like. And my mom said it through the whole time. Life is not a dress rehearsal. And I was like, okay, I'm gonna live my life. So. Yeah, so that's. That's a big one for me.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And, Heather, I loved yours. From Betty Witherspoon. Choose happiness.

[Heather Rosenfield]

You know, it's funny, because I can't. I mean, I know we call her Grandma Betty, but I don't even know if she said that to me. But I've seen it. It's always her quote or Reese's is her quote. And my kids actually have it on my refrigerator. And it's actually just written out because it's a reminder. And I can't say that. That it's natural all the time, but you have to remind yourself, because it's in those moments that maybe you're not choosing happiness that you need to remind yourself to choose it.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yeah.

[Heather Rosenfield]

So they've always got that written out wherever we are in our house.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Very important question for you both. What did you wear to prom?

[Heather Rosenfield]

Okay, you have to go first because I don't know. This. That's, like, one thing I didn't know about.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yes. There was a store on Melrose. Melrose, Not Melrose. Right, On Melrose. And it was like, during the 80s when, you know, it was. Everything was very, you know, 80s. And there was this one store, and it had this. They had these wrap dresses, and they were like. They were, you know, strapless, you know, and they kind of pulled through, and I pulled it through, and I chose iridescent white. It was very.

[Laura Vinroopool]

What was the fabric, Jenny?

[Jenny Belushi]

It was like a iridescent. It was not. It was. It was. It was actually. It was like a thick material, so it wasn't like, cheesy. Yeah, actually really cool. It was very cool. And I told one girl where I got it. One girl. And guess what? When I got to the prom, every single person was wearing my dress.

[Laura Vinroopool]

No.

[Jenny Belushi]

In a different color. Not everyone, but a lot of those girls were wearing the same dress from that store, but a different. Like a purple or a black.

[Laura Vinroopool]

But nobody had your white iridescent.

[Jenny Belushi]

No one had the white.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Okay.

[Jenny Belushi]

Thank goodness.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Retail girl from the beginning.

[Jenny Belushi]

Yeah, exactly. So, Yeah, I love that.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Yes.

[Jenny Belushi]

You know, I'll never forget that. I was like, ah, shouldn't have told that girl.

[Laura Vinroopool]

And what else did you do? You remember shoes?

[Jenny Belushi]

My hair was very big, and I wore very shiny glossy. I actually have the picture of it. And.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Okay.

[Jenny Belushi]

And long earrings which, you know, have ruined my ears. All those dangly earrings that I've worn. I have to Always cover my lobe because of how many long hanging, heavy earrings I used to wear, you know, and high heels, you know, And I love it. Yeah, My mom. My mom was funny because my junior prom, not my major prom, I really wanted to get my hair and makeup done.

[Laura Vinroopool]

I was going to ask, did you go somewhere?

[Jenny Belushi]

I was my junior prom. And she said, okay, Jenny, if I take you there and I pay for it, you. You cannot wash it off and you cannot take your hair down. And I was like, okay. And she took me to this place on Beverly Boulevard. And the woman made me look like I was 100 years old. I had like the heaviest purple eyeshadow hair up and like eight old. Like, I look so. And I hated the pictures. And I literally got to the prom and I went in the bathroom, I pulled my hair down, I washed. I washed my whole face off. So I learned from that. And I had. I was very natural. Like, just, I think a little blush and, you know, a little, you know, nothing. I was like, yeah, my mom taught me a lesson for sure.

[Laura Vinroopool]

That's your junior year. Yes.

[Jenny Belushi]

Right? Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

All right, Heather.

[Heather Rosenfield]

I worked in a, like, the nice women's clothing store in Salina, the one that was my after school.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Oh, wow.

[Heather Rosenfield]

When I think about that, it's crazy because I would, like, open the store. I would do my homework. All I did was homework. So, by the way, any high school girls we have, we gotta check. So I would just sit there and do a lot of homework. But no, I. It was. So her whole thing was Nicole Miller. And so I saved a lot of my paychecks and then I got my employee discount and probably wore something that was a little too sophisticated for a 16 year old. But it was like long, black, very form fitting, Nicole Miller print or just solid? Solid. So boring.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Sophisticated, classic. And then shoes, hair jewelry.

[Heather Rosenfield]

Oh, shoes from the Saks Fifth Avenue outlet. Oh, the outlet. A lot of outlet shopping. And very. Oh, Kenneth Cole. Like, very, very high red satin, black. A little rhinestone details, you know, outlet shopping. Maybe. I. I had to. It wasn't my first choice, but. No, it was a whole look. And I got my hair done and they made my hair pretty. It was all back. I wanted it back. But it was a little big. Yeah, kind of like a big. So I don't know. I don't know if I could pull up any pictures, but we'll find one. Yeah.

[Laura Vinroopool]

At least we'll find one of Jim's too.

[Heather Rosenfield]

That's much better.

[Laura Vinroopool]

Thank y'all so much. What we wore is produced by Capitol and Balto Creative Media. The original song, Someone so Enchanting, was composed and performed by Britt Drazda. Please follow us on Instagram at whatweirpodcast for additional content and show updates. QueenCityPodcastNetwork. Com.