One of the many victims of the pandemic
has been local-- small, locally owned businesses.
So right now, we're going to surprise Alesha
from Kansas City, Missouri.
She's a small business owner who's
used up her savings to help keep her store from closing.
Even though she's struggled, Alesha
has continued to help her community.
All right, let's go.
Alesha?
Hi, Alesha!
Hi!
[CLAPPING]
Hi, there!
How are you?
Hey!
[GIGGLES]
Hi, that's so pretty where you are.
What's behind you?
That's uh, flowers, pretty wall.
That's my rose wall that I made for my shop.
I like it.
Hey, Alesha, before we start talking about your business,
I know, because I saw your tape earlier when the producers
talked to you, I know you're a fan of tWitch's.
He's not here today, this is one of the days he's off.
But just for fun, I want to know what
you would say if he was here, so we can show it to him.
OK, hey, tWitch, hi!
Thank you for being here.
I've been watching you since you were on your show years
ago, that dance show.
And I love everything you were doing,
how you were inspiring young black and brown creatives.
And then, with your career now, how you've progressed.
And you're easy on the eyes, so I appreciate you for that.
[LAUGHTER] Things might not work out, give me a call,
I'll be here.
[LAUGHTER]
All right, all right, let's--
we'll show-- you want to show that to-- let's show--
let's show tWitch. tWitch, did you see it?
Yeah.
I appreciate the--
I appreciate the love, absolutely.
Yeah, thank you so much for the support.
I just definetely love you.
Well, you know, yeah!
[LAUGHTER]
Well, tWitch and I are fans of yours too.
And you own a small business, it's called UnLESHed+.
Tell us-- I know about it, but tell everybody about it.
Yes, so I am the owner of UnLESHed+ Plus Sized Resale
in Kansas City, Missouri.
We are the only second hand shop in Kansas City that
caters to plus sized women.
We have sizes 14 and up and our main goal
is to help build community, build confidence, and build
self love amongst plus size women in KC and beyond.
Yes.
[APPLAUSE]
So very cool.
I know-- and I'm also, I love thrift shops.
I mean, it's so much fun, because you never
know what you're going to find.
I understand that's, sort of, was your passion.
You always went thrift shopping.
And then you wanted to do this, right?
Yes, I love, love, love thrifting.
I always went thrifting when I was young,
I always loved fashion.
My grandma took me to my first thrift shop
when I was in third grade.
And I was, like, really excited when I got there.
The clothes fit my body, and then, as well, it was cheap!
Like, we were poor, so I'd get 10 items for $10,
and I was like, yes, this is perfect for me.
[LAUGHS]
So why did you decide to open up a shop
in this particular neighborhood.
Yeah, and this neighborhood, for sure,
is very similar to the neighborhood that I grew up in.
We were in the inner city.
And I think in this neighborhood,
it's important for young black kids
to see a black owned business that's still, like, really nice
and they can aspire to have that for themselves as well.
And to try to combat some of the gentrification that is going
on, here, on this Main Street.
Good for you, that's fantastic.
So you open up your store front, one month later
the pandemic hit.
I mean, that-- it must've been so exciting for you
to finally have your business.
And then a month later, I mean, that had to have really hurt.
Absolutely, like, I know COVID is hard for everyone right
now, but, like, I was so excited to open.
We were supposed to open on March 15th,
and March 14 they said, you know, everything is shut down.
So at that point, like, we were not making any money,
so I'm going into, like, savings,
trying to pay for bills to keep us open.
But I knew I had to do it.
It was important to, like, keep us open
and, like, lean on the community.
Because that's what it's all about, like,
giving back to the community.
It is what it's all about.
And what's amazing is that even though you're
at risk of losing your shop closing down,
you still find ways to give back.
Absolutely, like, for me, growing up, there were, like,
many different people who gave back to me.
From my hairstylist, who did, like, half off Tuesdays for me
to get my hair done, like, I think
it's my purpose, here in the community,
to do the same thing.
Over the summer, when the protests was going on,
we raised over $1,000 to make care packages for protesters.
And the rest of the money, we gave to a local trans
organization and helped out black teachers.
[APPLAUSE]
That's dope.
Fantastic.
You have such a beautiful smile.
Alesha is the owner of UnLESHed+ in Kansas City, Missouri.
I know you're worried about having to close your shop,
but there's actually more to it than that.
I want you to explain that to people.
Absolutely.
For me, my shop is--
it's bigger than just me.
Like, I always say, like, I would not
be where I am today without, like,
help from my community and the people that poured in me when
I was just a young kid.
So for me, it's being here and it's helping other people too.
And it's just kind of scary, like,
coming from the inner city, I grew up a little black girl
in the projects of Kansas City.
There's so many people that are looking up to me.
And I don't want to let them down
by having to close my business.
Yeah, that is it a--
it is an important thing to--
for young black girls and boys to see that, you know,
you own this business and you accomplished this.
So I think it is important, we're
not going to let that happen.
We want to help you get some business in the shop.
I got you this, it kind of matches,
you have that sandwich board out front.
So we got this for you.
[APPLAUSE]
Oh!
All right, and then there's something else,
one other thing, my friends at Shutterfly care
about supporting black owned businesses.
And they want to pay your rent for the next year
with a check for $10,000.
So you don't have to worry about that.
[APPLAUSE]
Are you kidding me!
Oh, my gosh!
You're just-- you're fantastic, you're adorable.
If you're in Kansas City, Missouri,
head over to UnLESHed+ and check them out online as well.