It was challenging for Laura Lanz Frolio (GHS ’04), who was among the many hundreds of thousands of young people who had the ill fortune of trying to join the work force in the midst of the Great Recession. Statistics show that from December 2007 to June 2009, the U.S. labor market lost 8.4 million jobs during what was the most dramatic employment contraction of any recession since the Great Depression in the late 1920’s.

In 2008, Lanz Frolio, newly graduated with a BA degree in journalism from Ithaca College, moved to New York City and began applying for every journalism job she could find. Her other passion was fashion and clothing, and she dreamed of working at a fashion magazine. Like many other Millennials, she faced a really tough job market.

She said, “I ended up working at some strange office jobs, waiting tables, and eventually working as an unpaid intern and then as a paid freelancer at a magazine.”

During this time, she was also indulging her passion for fashion by visiting flea markets and thrift stores, buying vintage clothing. “I bought what I thought were interesting pieces, but I never really wore them,” she said.

In 2009, she set up shop on Etsy, an online marketplace for artists and crafts people begun nearby in Brooklyn, where she occasionally listed items for sale. “My business slowly grew from there, while I was freelancing in journalism or working at restaurants on
the side,” said Lanz Frolio. By 2014 her online shop, featuring one of a kind vintage clothing, had grown enough that she was able to make it her full-time job.

Lanz Frolio is the owner and operator of La Poubelle Vintage, a full-time, one-woman operation. Her new showroom opened in 2016 at 1002 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, and is open by appointment only. She said, “I do everything from sourcing inventory (the fun part), product photography, listing items online, customer service, maintaining my social media profiles, shipping orders, and setting up and selling at in-person events.”

La Poubelle translates to ‘the Trash Can,’ a nod to the recycling nature of her business. She believes that her Maine roots, which shaped her as a humble and practical person, have helped her succeed in her chosen career path.

Lanz Frolio did not intentionally set out to become an entrepreneur. The trying economic circumstances she faced after graduation led her to make some creative choices about how to earn a living. She said, “I can’t say that there was ever a moment of epiphany like ‘oh wow, I’d like to start my own business.’ ” Instead it gradually grew from what she calls a fun hobby into a full-time business over the years.

As any small business person will acknowledge, there are plenty of challenges to keep things interesting. With no business courses under her belt, Lanz Frolio has had to learn the business side of things on her own. She said, “As a small business owner, I’m overcoming obstacles every day. Whether it’s balancing my budget to make sure I have enough money to buy new inventory or juggling competing tasks like finding time to clean and repair all of the clothes.”

In addition, locating vintage pieces has become more challenging as demand for one of a kind pieces has increased. Lanz Frolio is very knowledgeable about vintage clothing designers and knows whose labels to be on the look out for. Her most recent challenge revolves around growing her business in a way that makes sense for her and her customers. She said, “I’ve built my following by selling one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. It’s challenging to grow when you have to source, photograph, list, and ship each unique item every time.” She is brainstorming ways to expand into non-vintage items while still keeping her vintage customers happy.

She has fond memories of growing up in Gorham. Going to GHOP after school was a highlight, as were soccer games, Gorham Days, and trick or treating on Halloween. Lanz Frolio fondly remembers her freshman and senior AP English teacher, Mrs. Davis, as a tough teacher who “really opened my mind to great books and helped me expand my creativity in a lot of ways.”

Lanz Frolio lives in up and coming Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn with her boyfriend, Todd. In her spare time she loves growing veggies and herbs in her backyard and caring for many indoor plants, too. She enjoys cooking/experimenting with new foods and recipes. She explores all that New York has to offer from museums to concerts to the amazing food and restaurant scene.

Lanz Frolio is the daughter of Pam Lanz and Chuck Frolio.

You can learn more about her business from her website at www.lapoubellevintage.com or on Instagram @lapoubellevintage. You can also reach her directly at lapoubellevintage@gmail.com.