The Ramblin’ Rose Company

Paige Plaisance, a Lake St. John girl, graduated from LSU in fashion merchandising and started her business in Austin, TX.

Paige Plaisance was born a small-town girl with big town dreams. She attended Tensas Academy with only 13 classmates and spent the weekends and summers on the water: Lake St. John, where her parents live; Lake Bruin; and Lake Concordia, where she spotted her dream on retro wheels. After graduating in May 2014 from LSU in fashion merchandising, Paige moved to Austin, Texas. She had visited two friends the previous December and fell in love with the city, particularly the music scene. Paige sings and plays piano and appreciated being able to walk into any bar on the street in downtown Austin and hear live music. She claims, “The music playing draws you in, just like in New Orleans.” The music excited her, along with the food truck craze. So many restaurants in Austin start in a food truck; it’s a low risk way to test a product. She also noticed all the retail trailers and decided she needed to open a boutique, but not just in any trailer. Paige wanted an airstream.

She calls it the “Silver Bullet.” It’s an old 1972 aluminum trailer with rounded edges. She spotted it on Lake Concordia on one of her trips home for Thanksgiving. She saw the owner’s daughter at a birthday party that weekend on Lake Bruin, and said she had to have it. Paige’s dad redid the trailer, ripping out the old interior. The inside was painted white, and clothing racks and shelves were constructed. Her dad was remodeling the Silver Bullet in Louisiana while Paige was getting the business together in Austin, finding clothing and local jewelry makers. She features Station 19 Designs by her friend Mickey, Luster by her friend Liz, and other local artisans. Paige’s dad drove the trailer from Waterproof, Louisiana, to Austin, Texas, only breaking down once. Paige says, “Stuff fell out of the bottom, and a kind soldier stopped and helped dad saw it off.”

Paige found a spot on Barton Springs Road. It’s a popular food truck lot in the heart of Austin with other retail trailers. She hosts events where her friends come play music while the mobile boutique is open. The Marshall Hood Band is a favorite, and sometimes Paige sings along. She hosts The Barton Springs Artists & Makers Market featuring all types of local makers including jewelry designers, candlemakers and live painters. She encourages other creative entrepreneurs to share her space. She is able to help other people start their own businesses while also attracting people to the area. Paige does do pop up shops around town to spread the word, sometimes in sorority houses and even at South by Southwest. Austin hosts an unlimited number of events where people can showcase their talents.

Paige knew she loved retail, having worked at Hemline in Baton Rouge and then in Austin and she was always thinking, “What would I do if I had my own store?” She’s a creative person who recognized her clothes gave her confidence when she would play music on stage. She wants to share that experience with others. And her boutique trailer allows her to share her passion with her clientele. She loves meeting new people and making others feel good. She encourages her customers to step out of their comfort zones and try things they might not normally wear.

She met her friend, Mickey, working in Austin, and they bonded over their love of the same music. Paige wanted a name for her business, and Mickey suggested Ramblin’ Rose from one of their favorite Grateful Dead songs, the concept being a, “traveling trailer rambling on.” It fits Paige’s bohemian style. She focuses mainly on women’s clothing, a mixture of simple and practical pieces, while also bringing in bright colors and a mixture of different materials, velvet and satin being some of Paige’s favorites. The style of the clothing is casual, as well as the shoes. She sells huaraches, made in Mexico. They’re colorful hand-woven loafers made by Fiesta Feet. She has hats, shirts, dresses, jeans, flares being her favorite, and tons of jewelry. She highlights band T shirts. Some popular ones now are: Waylon Jennings, Tom Petty, The Band and of course, the Grateful Dead. Paige picks a wide variety of pieces she likes for the store, and it all seems to come together. She’s not afraid of wild, colorful pieces, insisting, “If I love it, I want it in my store.”

Paige knew her dreams were bigger than Waterproof, Louisiana, and she isn’t afraid to follow those dreams. She loves where she’s from, and someday could find her way back there. She credits her parents for always having faith in her, for their encouragement. It was her mom who encouraged Paige to change her major from business to fashion merchandising, recognizing her daughter’s talent and passion early on. And that comfort of having people who love her behind her makes diving into the unknown easier. Paige knows she can always go home. But she recognized that her hometown was small, and she ventured out to experience something new. She is taking that small town relatable personality and making a name for herself in Austin.