07. Nothing Lasts Forever: The Economics, Emotions, and Ethics of Closing a Business with Grace Vroom

Dear Dry Drinkery was a shop that sold non-alcohol drink options, including wine, beer, and spirits. But in the years that it was in business, Dear Dry became a community living room for sober-curious Austinites. However, after two years in their brick-and-mortar location (and a few more years operating out of a food truck), Grace Vroom and her husband Joe made the decision to close their doors. In Part 2 of our conversation, Grace shares what went into that choice — including unexpected personal loss, break-ins, shifting market realities, and the honest realization that the business had grown into something different than the “simple little shop” they originally envisioned. (If you missed it, catch Part 1 to hear all about the creation of Dear Dry, Grace’s sober journey, and the importance of pursuing your creative passions, even when its hard.)This is a candid conversation about entrepreneurship that is sometimes overlooked: the hidden costs, the emotional weight of being so publicly available, and the courage it takes to end something at the right time. Grace also reflects on what Dear Dry gave her: proof that she can do hard things, a deeper relationship to community, and a new clarity about how she wants to create going forward.What We Discuss:Running a business during personal turbulence: Llosing her mom during their first Dry January The emotional + financial toll of break-ins When the market catches up to your mission: major retailers carrying NA products, shifting customer behavior, and margin pressureWhen the business looks different than you expected: how Dear Dry became an event space, community hub, and a bar/restaurant consultancy, rather than just a shopThe real cost of a brick-and-mortar: rent, utilities, security, events, broken shipments, and constant “small emergencies”Defining success on your own terms and why closing the business did not feel like a failureThe power of telling founders you admire that they matter — how one comment can carry someone for monthsWhat she’d tell someone feeling embarrassed about closing — and how to handle the “I knew you wouldn’t last” energyThe post-close blank space: rebuilding confidence, choosing stability, and making room for the next creative chapterThis episode is for anyone who:Has built something and is questioning whether it’s time to let it goIs too afraid to start a project or business because of the fear of it closing Feels pressure to “keep going” even when it no longer fitsWants a realistic look at what brick-and-mortar retail actually demandsIs navigating grief or major life change while still trying to show up for their workNeeds permission to redefine success, set boundaries, and choose sustainabilitySubscribe to The Artist Rendezvous on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for more conversations with inspiring creatives.Follow The Artist Rendezvous:Instagram/TikTok/YouTube: @theartistrendezvousWebsite: www.theartistrendezvous.comReach out to Samantha at [email protected] Artist Rendezvous celebrates the creative spirit of Austin, Texas, sharing stories of inspiration, risk, and the courage to create. Each episode explores what it means to live a creative life and the mindset shifts that enable artistic success.