Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 S E P T E M B E R 2 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P incubator space, and I'm so incredibly grateful to have had a space like that," says Yardley. "It was the perfect first step for a small business and provided a safety net that wouldn't have been possible without the incubators." In 2020, in the pandemic, she par- ticipated in New York Fashion Week's "Ones to Watch" showcase. In March of this year, Yardley opened a storefront at 99 Exchange St. She is working as a one-woman show and trying to figure out how to increase production without losing quality. "I'm definitely using this first calen- dar year in the space to look at patterns, trends and sales so that I can get an idea of how best to grow my business in 2025," says Yardley. Leather goods designer Rough & Tumble In 2020, Rough & Tumble was fea- tured on a Times Square billboard that gained the attention of actress Allison Janney, giving a shot of momentum for the Brunswick-based leather goods store. Rough & Tumble started in 2008 as a second career for founder and creative director Natasha Durham, who spent 20 years as a chef. "I only knew that I wanted to trade in my mise en place for a different kind of luxury material," says Durham. Today, the brand sells its bags through prominent catalog brands. Its leathers are sourced primarily from France and Italy. e company has a design studio in Brunswick. And now, in July, Rough & Tumble took another big step, moving into 2,126 square feet of storefront space at 178 Middle St. in Portland. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » 2024 was the perfect year to open the Portland store. A presence in Portland was our natural next step. — Natasha Durham Rough & Tumble

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