Unlimited Potential Gives Back to Rutland
Entrepreneur Donates to Families in Need
Story by Lauren Fabian | April 10th, 2019
Three and a half years ago, Jessi Travers had a vision — she wanted to open a store with a charitable mission.
Unlimited Potential, which opened last May, carries maternity to tween styles with a seemingly endless amount of new and gently-used clothing options. The store offers shoes, shirts, pants and accessories along with items from local vendors.
When Travers was pregnant with her first child Simon, she realized there was no place in Rutland to shop for maternity clothing. She found herself on full day trips to New York and Burlington to get the clothes she needed, and ran into the same problem years later when pregnant with her daughter Gwendolyn.
From her own experiences, Travers was inspired to provide a location to offer this type of clothing to mothers and families in the community that was not previously available before.
Travers first mentioned the idea for Unlimited Potential to a friend that referred her to Junebug, a non-profit consignment shop in Middlebury. Seeing Junebug lit her fire, and after the birth of her daughter, Gwendolyn , the stars aligned and Travers cut the ribbons just two short years later.
The colorful shop on West Street can’t be missed — the bright green storefront opens up to electric blue walls surrounding racks of well-organized clothing and a small play space to entertain little ones.
Travers says she loves to watch the business grow and improve to fit customers needs, but the best part about the shop is the ability to contribute to her community.
She donates clothing from Unlimited Potential to a variety of nonprofits, charities, and families; including the DCF Foster Love Closet, WIC, and the First Step Pregnancy Center.
Jessi Travers stands in front of Unlimited Potential in Downtown Rutland.
“I have always wanted to give back to my community and be able to offer something for Rutland’s youth,” Travers said. “I enjoy watching families grow and being able to pay it forward.”
Out back of the shop there is now a parking area and newly-painted mural where Travers cleaned up the building as part of an effort to beautify the old space.
Today Travers strives to find a balance between running her business and raising her kids, putting her children first as she hopes to instill the values she holds herself within them. Travers is a do-it-all kind of woman as she also works as a bartender, teaches snowboarding lessons, and runs the shop on West Street.
Travers remembers a time when she was younger that she would go shopping and walk around downtown, and she wants Rutland to keep that small town charm and community feel.
For families, expecting parents, grandparents and more, the consignment boutique in downtown fills a much-needed retail gap for clothing and accessories at reasonable prices.
Visit Unlimited Potential this month at the Spring Sip + Shop on April 18th for a $10 fill-a-bag sale and gift card drawing.
For more information, check out Unlimited Potential at the shop on 146 West Street, Rutland, Vermont, or check out the store’s Facebook page.
