Maine Vibes Magazine: I would love to start with you introducing yourself, stating your pronouns, and introducing your business.

Chelsea Rourke: My name is Chelsea Rourke, I use she/her pronouns and my shop is Artemis Plus-Size Resale. It’s a shop that I started on Instagram about 15-16 months ago. It started there and has been steadily growing, but it really was born out of my own want and need to be able to shop secondhand and find some cool stuff that cost a little less and in a shop that felt welcoming. On the weekends, my sister and I would grab a coffee and go thrift. We started realizing that we were a little bit confined to the options that we had, it was almost like Goodwill or nothing. We had always talked about resale, it was like this kernel of, wouldn't it be great if we had a thrift store that was all plus size? I think if you are plus size, you've thought of this too. In the beginning, it was seeing if I could source clothes and do resale and if people were interested. It was seeing if the community would bare it out as something that they want, and so far that’s proving to be the case.

MVM: I know that you had your one-year anniversary in March, congratulations to you! What was the beginning of your business like?

CR: Thank you! It was in the thick of the pandemic, and at the time I was transitioning out of a clinical research role, which was a very different life for me. Artemis was a side gig type of thing but it quickly grew from that into something that required more of my time. I started out on Instagram and I was learning how to use it as a business tool, and it can be powerful.

When I would do clothes drops at night, it turned into a bit of a social thing. People would set reminders and show up to shop. It created a buzz which is a really fun thing. I started shipping all over the country.

Artemis Plus Size Resale Store
in South Portland, Maine

*Photo provided by Chelsea Rourke.*

MVM: That’s amazing! How does your resale process work?

CR: The way I started, my closet and my friends’ closets were my sources. Once I started putting the word out there and people started following me, they started to realize they too could let go of clothes they don’t wear and basically trade them for something else. My biggest fear is that I will run out of clothes, but it hasn’t happened yet. I think people like letting go of what they don’t want anymore and when they find something new, they’re more likely to sell. It’s fed itself forward, it’s really interesting. I love everyone who sells and buys from me, their message is consistent. They want to contribute to the idea of a community closet and have their clothes go to people who will wear them and feel good in them. It’s been powerful for me to feel and see that message, I continue to hear that over and over.

MVM: It’s a great concept, less expensive, you’re not contributing to fast fashion this way, so it’s better for the environment, and you’re making people feel good with the clothes you have in your store and the community you’re building. Now you have your brick and mortar! I do not enjoy clothes shopping because of the atmosphere, the dressing rooms are awful, this stems from body issues.

CR: What I realized and what I am trying to promote is that everyone is on their own journey. Your perception of your body and how you feel, we’re all at different places. Embrace who you are and where you are today, whatever your size may be. We all know that women’s clothing sizes are not consistent, so really focus on what makes you feel good. Think about what you’re missing in your wardrobe that you want. Thrifting is fun because instead of having one brand’s aesthetic in-store, we have them all! So you get all kinds of different looks. It’s a fun approach to shopping, it’s not pressure-filled, you can go in and poke around and see what’s there. I think it’s the right spirit to bring to the shopping environment, especially as a plus-size woman. I am fully aware of the feelings that we carry and share. Part of my shop is about representation; people in larger bodies are normal, we are beautiful, we're strong, we are all the things! Your size is the least interesting thing about you, truly! My hope is that you dispel a little bit of what you carry and come in and have fun, and look around.

I hear this from a lot of people, they want to take part in buying secondhand, where can they go do that? Part of owning a shop, whether retail or thrift, you need to embrace and see that there are sizes that go above XL. That’s part of my mission is to show that this can be a thriving shop with a wonderful environment and we can have sizes that begin at XL and go up from there.

Chelsea Rourke, owner of Artemis Plus Size Resale

*Photo provided by Chelsea Rourke.*

MVM: Right, and clothing sizes vary so much between brands and where the clothing was sewn, what their model size is, etc. Men’s clothing seems to be more consistent, right?

CR: Right, it makes you question the system. There is no consistency, which isn’t good for our brains. I’m supposed to know what size I am, but they vary. What is that about? I do want to say who cares what size we are! I think if anything, the pandemic helped a lot of people decide what their life is about. It doesn’t have to be about being thinner. There are so many other things to worry about, if you can loosen that grip even 10%, you’re happier.

MVM: Thank you, I think that’s a message that a lot of people, myself included, need to hear.

CR: We all need it. It’s funny because it seems like it’s just a thrift shop. Still, then it intersects with body positivity and diet culture, so it becomes this bigger thing, and then making it into a community makes it even more important. I am so happy to be doing this and I’m so excited. I feel like everyone has poured their vibes into this. It’s not just me, it’s everyone who is involved in it. It’s really inspiring.

MVM: That is SO inspiring! How did you make the shift as a clinical researcher to your resale business?

CR: Leaving that job was to prioritize my own mental health, as many did during the pandemic. I regrouped after that and thought about what I should do next. Walking my dogs on the beach one day with a friend, I kept saying how cool it would be to start a resale shop. My friend finally said to me, what is the harm of me starting? I realized they were right, and that thought led me forward. It was taking that first step. There’s a lot of work that goes into developing a business, but if you can start with honoring your idea, you’re taking the first step.

MVM: The first step always seems to be the most difficult one!

CR: I’ve had guidance along the way from different people and that’s been so helpful. There’s a part of me that feels like it’s a lot of stumbling forward. It’s messy and not for the faint-hearted, but it’s also a lot of keeping the faith and doing what you can to move forward. You have to think positively as well. Once you start working on something and it really is your path, things start to find you. There’s a weird serendipitous vibe to it.

MVM: Yes!! It does feel like that, all of it! I always feel like I’m stumbling forward. With your business, are you wearing all of the hats?

CR: I am, yeah, and that’s ok. It’s hard! The social media piece is more time-consuming than anyone might think. I ship to Texas, California, and Florida, and these people are still expecting me to be online, so I’m morphing how I do things a bit and want to make sure that the online shoppers still have a chance to shop.

Chelsea Rourke standing outside her store, Artemis Plus Size Resale

*Photo provided by Chelsea Rourke.*

MVM: Can you talk about what vibe you’re going for with your store?

CR: I think that a thrift store by nature is a bit eclectic. The clothes themselves are very colorful, so there’s that type of energy. Then I think it’s about creating some nice earthy vibes, but still colorful and bright. I will have tarot cards and crystals and art for sale.

MVM: I love it, it sounds so fun! How do you feel about being a woman and queer-owned business?

CR: I am so proud of that and feel proud to welcome my community, and to represent that. Especially during Pride Month, but whether it's Pride Month or not, my message is still to be free to be who you are, and to not feel like you're somehow so different, or cool enough to be in certain spaces. It’s very important to me that anyone who comes into my shop feels like they are a friend of mine. I don’t want anyone to feel like they have to look or be a certain way to feel welcomed. That’s also the mother in me, having three kids.

MVM: That’s a great message and an important one. Being in Maine, we have a lot of smaller inter-woven communities, and getting that message throughout the state is wonderful.

CR: I agree! Starting this, I’ve had some established businesses, here in Portland and in other towns, reach out to me and ask if I needed help or if I wanted advice. Everyone has been welcoming and it’s nice to know that I can reach out if I need to. I think a lot of it is Maine people too, it doesn’t hurt to help someone else.

MVM: Exactly! Being kind is free and helping where you can, feels good, and is so supportive!

CR: Yes, and I plan on paying it forward like that too! I’ve reached out to several local makers about having space in the shop. I did a couple of popups at Pageboy Studio in Portland and they were amazing. Rachel and Mel helped me, they didn’t ask anything of me, it was out of the kindness of their hearts and agreeing with what I wanted to do. That helped springboard my business. I’ve felt the effects of that and certainly want to give it back.

MVM: I love a supportive community!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this today. Are there any businesses or creators that you want to support and shout out to wrap this up!?

CR: Yes! 5Beads Handmade, Tonya Gorman. I also love Robin Towle’s art from R Nicole Studio.

MVM: Wonderful! Thank you, Chelsea and big Congratulations on Artemis Plus Size Resale brick and mortar!!!