On December 15th, 2020 (my 27th birthday), I launched bubuleh, and on December 15th, 2023, I’m going to pause bubuleh. At least for now.
When the idea for bubuleh came to me, I knew in my bones that I had to make it happen. I quit my job to pursue bubuleh full-time, despite not having any experience running a business, much less a (now) global clothing brand. It was a major leap, but it just felt right.
In the years since we’ve done a lot with a little. In the past year alone, we’ve grown almost 100%. We’ve built a community of incredible, kindhearted people who are proud of who they are and where they come from, centered around unique, sustainable, and nostalgic clothing. We’ve developed new designs and collections that speak to who we are and what we care about. We’ve been featured in prestigious publications, worn by literal icons, and loved by people in over 12 countries and every state.
I’m so proud of how far we’ve come. I really am.
But at this moment, I need to take a step back for my well-being.
Getting to where we are hasn’t been easy. Getting to the next step will require much more, and right now, I don’t feel I have it in me to get there with the resources I have. Running a business alone is challenging, fulfilling, isolating, and amazing all at once, and honestly, I am pretty burnt out. I’ve been struggling.
Pausing the business will hopefully give me the time and space to reimagine what I want the future to look like for both bubuleh and myself.
This pause could be for 3 months, a year, or even more. I truly don’t know. But what I do know is that taking a pause right now is necessary. You can’t pour from an empty cup, you know?
With all of that said, I want to call out two things:
1) We are only accepting orders through December 15th (the last night of Chanukah, bubuleh’s three-year anniversary, and my 30th birthday). So, if you want to buy something, now is the time. Everything on the site is on clearance.
2) Whatever the next steps may be, one thing is clear. To reopen and help bubuleh become the brand I know we can be, I won’t be able to do it alone. I will have to rely on and bring in more people across all areas of the brand. So, if you have any interest in helping or joining us at a later date, or helping me brainstorm ideas and strategies during this pause, please DM us or email me (jordan@bubuleh.com).
Whether you’re great with finances, product design, ecommerce strategy, etc… or might even be interested in investing (!!!), please let us know.
There is so much more I want to say, but I’m going to leave it here for now:
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has supported bubuleh over these past few years. I can’t even come close to expressing how much it means to me. You have helped make this dream a reality, and I hope that bubuleh has positively impacted your lives as much as you have impacted mine. Thank you for your understanding and support in making this decision.
With love and just a little anxiety,
Jordan Star
Founder & CEO
