Meet Sharon Repass | Proprietor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sharon Repass and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sharon, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After spending years working in the entertainment industry in a variety of roles, I decided to embark on a new adventure and started my own bookkeeping business. It kept me busy for nearly two decades, offering the perfect balance while raising my children and allowing me the freedom to pursue a variety of artistic endeavors; graphic design, acting, you name it. But I still longed for something different, something more fulfilling.
The light bulb moment came after a stroll down Abbot Kinney in early 2016, where I once again verbalized (to myself and my husband) that “We need something like this near us… I think I should open a store!”. And then the realization sunk in – I had the perfect blend of skills to bring that long standing dream to fruition. I had developed a solid set of business skills; a passion for graphic design and fashion, and a very strong aesthetic point of view. So, with a leap of faith, a ton of support and a crazy dose of confidence, Blackbird General Store opened its doors in Old Town Calabasas in October 2016.
I envisioned Blackbird as more than just a gift shop. It would be a place where vintage meets modern, wrapped in a cool, boho-chic vibe. I also wanted a feature where people could create their own gift boxes with really interesting products from the shop. Fate seemed to smile on me when the charming Old Town “Red Barn” space (now painted black) became available. I knew it was the perfect location! It was part of an historic Old Town, near our home, and had the Calabasas Farmer’s Market every Saturday, right outside our doors. My dream was realized and the journey since has been nothing short of incredible.

What should our readers know about your business?
I think what sets Blackbird General Store apart is that we have a really interesting curation of products, displayed in a really cool way with an amazing, helpful and friendly staff. This all creates a really fun, genuine experience that goes beyond our walls to anyone receiving a gift from our shop. We always hear that there is a great vibe and energy in the store. This has truly been intentional, as I have always wanted this to be a place of love, kindness, humor, and giving. I like to call it… a giving shop. It makes me so happy when someone comes back after giving a gift from the shop, saying that the person absolutely loved the gift. Spreading love and kindness and making people feel good is what we’re all about.

I’m also really excited about our custom wood gift boxes. We have been making our gift boxes since the beginning and now it’s evolved into custom designs and personalized boxes, where we can engrave names, photos or almost anything on our wood boxes creating an even more special gift. We are really looking forward to taking this to other businesses and corporations as well, to bring our authenticity, creativity and unique brand to a larger audience.

As far as challenges, there have been many. A small staff, limited resources and big dreams is a challenging combination. I have so many ideas but not enough time or manpower to achieve them. We’ve had to just take it a day at a time and enjoy the ride, being grateful for what we have but still working toward achieving our vision. We like to keep our feet on the ground but our heads in the clouds.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start at the Calabasas Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning followed by a visit to Blackbird General Store (of course), brunch at Pedaler’s Fork next door, then head to Malibu for a day at the beach!
I would take a day in the City as well, perhaps hanging out at the Grove and the OG Farmer’s Market and then dinner at Anajak Thai (if we could get a reservation).
One night would have to be dinner and a show either at the Music Center or the Pantages and then splurge at dinner at one of my faves, Osteria Mozza.
Lastly, perhaps we would head down south for a day. One of our favorite things to do is kayak in Marina Del Rey. Then for a more intimate evening, I would take us to see a show at my favorite theatre company, Ruskin Group Theatre at the Santa Monica Airport.

Basically, we would enjoy great company, eat great food, visit cool shops, enjoy great theatre and spend time by the water in our beautiful city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
100% ! I couldn’t have started this business or kept it going without the help and incredible support of my husband, Craig and my children Max and Ellery. My husband has truly been my biggest supporter. We have been married 28 years and have always encouraged each other to continue to grow and stretch and take chances. He was on board with this idea from the beginning, and we agreed to put the money we had been saving for our remodel, into this crazy venture. I’m so grateful to him and to my kids who have had to deal with everything that comes with running a business. Although my family always comes first, it is a constant balancing act and the understanding, love and support of these incredible humans has truly been incredible. I also have to give a shoutout to all the customers and staff over the years, and especially my dear friend and manager, Karen Gasbarro. She was my neighbor and close friend for 20 years and now she runs the shop like it is her own. She has been a huge support in every way possible along with her amazing family. Surrounding myself with love and incredible people in both my business and my personal life has been an absolute blessing.

Website: https://www.blackbirdgeneralstore.com

Instagram: @blackbirdgeneral

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-repass-630275a

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackbirdgeneralstore

Yelp: Blackbird General Store