As many of you may know, I am a huge advocate of small businesses. I would rather spend an extra $5 for that super awesome pair of shoes at a small business rather than save it by buying them at WalMart. Now granted, this is probably not a very viable economic policy for a poor as you-know-what nursing student, but when I find out that someone else is also a poor-as-you-know-what student, I feel for them. But then when I find out that they are trying to start their own super cool business on the side? Then I want to do whatever I can do be a rah rah cheerleader for them!
Where is all of this going? Well, let me tell you – I have been looking for a good, sturdy, and bad ass rockabilly messenger bag to replace the polka dot one I had last semester that now has ink all over the bottom of it due to a pen exploding all over. I had found a really nice one that quickly jumped up to the top of my list to buy ASAP. But where was this bag? On Sourpuss Clothing’s website, which just naturally had to have their site down for some cleaning and inventory – for over a month. Sourpuss was the only site I had found this bag on, so to say I was rather upset when I (as well as many others) had not heard back from Sourpuss on their FB page as to when they were returning other than “We will be back up shortly” is an understatement.
So after about two weeks of that hot mess, I started hunting elsewhere for another bag. I was constantly disappointed that no site had my bag (and I had the name of it and everything written down because I bookmarked the bag – yes that’s how much I wanted this bag LOL), and I searched for a good two or three days. I went to bed at night with tears in my eyes and angst in my heart, unable to believe in a world where only one site sold this bag, and it was down. I’m exaggerating
I awoke the next morning with a hopeful and spirited energy in my mind, and whipped out my iPad to continue my search. I went to one of my last resorts and did a Google search for the exact wording of the item. Why is this one of my last resorts? I seem to always get the most ridiculous results, and most do not pertain to the item because I did not add quotations to my query. But when I do? I got the Sourpuss link – the one that I could not order. Gah!
But about an hour into this, I found Fester’s Bazaar. If there is a digital track of angels singing – please start to play it now. I found my bag! And yes, I do admit, I did find the bag I wanted some other places – but they wanted $65 for it when Sourpuss asked for about $30 for it. You’d have to have me smoke weed laced with every other drug on earth to get me to buy the same bag for over double the price. Oh yeah, that’s exactly how I love to contribute to the economy’s recovery *roll eyes here*
I contacted the owner when he sent me an email noticing I had not checked out yet, and if he can help to let him know. I sent him an email back, that since I am a poor pitiful nursing student, maybe we could take the bag for some PR on my site. He wrote back the he himself is a grad student, and also just starting up his business, which is like a mobile shop of rockabilly/unique items as well as paintings and art from original artists, and he is really trying to promote local artists from where is at in the Midwest, which is very cool. I have seen a lot of the artwork, and it really is worth a look – it will add a look of originality to your home and it will also be a unique piece that no one else has. Who wouldn’t like that?
I saw he had the bag, and he gave me a 10% discount, which was sweet considering he is a startup and a student who is trying to get a lot of things done. I believe he also works full time, which I give him mad props for because I know it’s super hard when you’re a student. People like that are who we should all be trying to support, as opposed to big corporations.
Again, sorry for the crappy picture but it is either this or use a stock photo, and I would much rather take an actual picture of the actual product
I have had this bag now for about a month, and how has it help up? Pretty damn well, considering all of the huge medical & science books I have to carry. I also have notebooks, pens, my phone, keys, wallet, lip stick/gloss, iPod, and other assorted stuff all packed into it. It has a good amount of pockets, but not too many where you begin to wonder where anything is! It also offers a lot of room, to where I can have two of my huge texts, two notebooks, my planner, a cardigan, and a bottle of something to drink and it’s still not at full capacity. And it’s made of a nylon type material, so it’s waterproof – meaning no more ink on the bottom of my bag from exploding pens!
All in all, I would highly recommend that all of my readers check out Fester’s Bazaar, not only for the great and varied unique items they stock, but also for the kick ass customer service. I am sure that there will be something on the site that tickles your fancy, so go support a small business and shop at Fester’s Bazaar!