The energy of downtown that night, the conversation, and the excitement that something good was happening in New Kensington, led Nicole to try a pop-up shop in the building across the yard from VooDoo on Small Business Saturday, November 28, 2019. Her pop up shop was a success and led to opening a few more days before Christmas.

Nicole at Trovo Co.
Nicole then joined the pilot program of CO.STARTERS that launched in January and entered the conversation with other downtown business and building owners. She said about the program, “It was so great to network and connect. It helped me to think about my business as more than an Etsy shop.” The camaraderie of the group was the strength of the program and she says about the other business owners that she now considers them to be friends.Now we find ourselves in the grip of a pandemic that has forced small businesses like Nicole’s rethink their approach. Since the store could not remain open, Nicole moved her operations to online-only again. She is making sales and encouraged that Trovo Co. will weather this storm. Participation in CO.STARTERS unlocked a small business microgrant that is going to help Trovo survive. She is using this time to build inventory, bringing fresh vintage styles into the shop, and thinking ahead. She plans to reopen the store in a safe and timely manner.