In November 2018, driven 19-year-old entrepreneur Jordan Jackson attained a business milestone by opening his own retail boutique Birch & Pen inside a Charleston, South Carolina mall.
His trailblazing accomplishment as the shopping center’s youngest merchant further cemented Jackson’s burgeoning reputation as an ambitious self-made visionary wise beyond his years.
Capitalizing On Innate Fashion Sense
Jackson’s retail rise built on his sharp eye for style and knack for offering fashion advice, skills noticed early on that drove online clothing sales through his first e-commerce store.
But his dreams always centered on brick-and-mortar success despite his youth.
Launching Local Lifestyle Brand
Birch & Pen debuted as a modern Charleston boutique promoting high-fashion looks for all genders at affordable price points.
Jackson encouraged shoppers to take risks with statement styles reflecting his own bold personal aesthetic. His venture quickly won local media coverage and awards before a 2020 relocation.
Pivoting To Pop-Up Marketplaces
Though closing the inaugural store after a year, Jackson called it a chapter’s conclusion rather than failure.
He soon collaborated on directing several Baltimore pop-up shopping events showcasing his rebranded designs alongside other niche makers.
Paying Positivity Forward
Now a seasoned merchant mentor in his early 20s, Jackson continues championing young entrepreneurs through conferences and community initiatives. He urges chasing dreams with convinction to manifest one’s vision despite outside doubts.
When 19-year-old Jordan Jackson sliced the ribbon welcoming customers into his new North Carolina boutique, he wore an impeccably tailored blazer on top but Jordans below to nod at unceremonious beginnings. Yet unorthodox creative expression anchored his success even then.
Neither time nor skeptics could constrain the teen tenant’s aspirations to dress his hometown in revolutionary retail concepts reflecting underrepresented visionaries typically locked out. So Jackson welcomed the curious into his mall treasure trove promoting identity through fashion as self-love.
