The following is a love letter from our founder, Sophia, to our beloved store. A reflection on nearly a decade of connection, community, and quiet magic between four familiar walls.
To our dear little store,
Thank you. Thank you for being such a stable and grounding space for La Sierra to grow over the past (nearly!) decade. You have been the nourishing soil for us since 2016, when we were just a little seedling. Since then, we have grown and bloomed more than I ever imagined when I was first starting out.
You have been the walls around us through so many meaningful moments and experiences. From meeting the most incredible people, our amazing customers (some of whom have become dear friends) to the other business owners in the market (some of whom now feel like family). You have held space for deep conversations, for joy and sorrow, for growth and transformation. We’ve watched customers move through seasons of life: becoming new parents or grandparents; navigating illness and healing; preparing for big adventures. You’ve seen it all. Tears, laughter, tenderness, new friendships, and you’ve held it with grace. It was you, our dear store, who gave these moments a home.
Special friendships being formed through market connections
And oh, the people you’ve welcomed in. Our beautiful customers, the true heart of this story. You’ve watched them walk through your door, day after day, year after year. Some have been with us since the beginning, others wandered in by chance and never left. You’ve held space for curiosity and connection. You’ve seen them light up as they learned the story behind a piece, or ran their hands across soft fibres, or told us how much something meant to them. You’ve given me a space to guide them, to help with styling, to find the right fit and the piece that feels just right; to share the story of what they’re investing in, and to make sure they walk out with something they’ll cherish for years to come. You’ve been the quiet witness to all of it. They’ve brought so much life to you, and so much purpose to us.
I’m so grateful for the life you’ve breathed into our products. You’ve been the space where we’ve shared our beautiful, soft Alpaca pieces alongside the stories and faces of the artisans who craft everything with such care and love. You have given us a consistent, physical presence for those connections to unfold. A place to show the deeper meaning behind our work, and the lives impacted when someone chooses to invest in us. From a humble market stall to a global community, you’ve helped it all take root.
2016 at our first pop up in the SO:ME Space, South Melbourne Market
Our first full-time store: 2018-2019
Setting up our current store that gave us a home from 2019-2025
Our current store and home for the last 6+ years
You’ve given me the joy of witnessing hundreds of people, children and adults alike, light up with wonder as they picked up one of our toys and hugged it for the first time. I’ve watched pure delight pour out of young children as they embraced their first Alpaca bear. I’ve seen grown-ups soften into joy as they rediscovered childlike magic. What a gift it’s been to witness these moments as they happen.
This chapter with you has been a love story on so many levels. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Although this is goodbye for now, my dear store, we are not going anywhere. I see this as a quiet realignment. A step towards something that feels more true to where we are and where we’re going. A step towards growing as a brand, and as the kind of business owner I want to be.
I am endlessly grateful for everything you’ve allowed us to do and everything you’ve given us. I know you’ll be proud of me for making this decision, even though it feels scary. I know it’s the right step for now, one that will allow me to focus on areas of the business I haven’t had space to nurture while my energy has been with you.
Even though I’m ready for this next chapter and excited to grow La Sierra in new ways, I’m deeply sad to see this door close. I’m nervous, but hopeful. You’ve given me courage. You’ve reminded me how much our products mean to people, and that gives me the faith to keep going.
La Sierra exhibiting @ Life In Style 2025, expanding into Wholesale
I will hold this chapter with so much love. I’m grateful for every single person who has walked through our door.
Thank you.
I love you.
Sophia
