Written by Isabella Aranda Garcia
What is something you wish more people knew about you and/or your business?
About six months before COVID, I began rebranding Rhododendron—a shop serving teens and women of all ages—into Rhoda, which focuses on women in their 20s to 40s. When the pandemic hit, the rebrand became more important and more involved. Rhoda launched in November 2020, and our sales immediately increased.
What’s one thing your customers don’t know you do behind the scenes?
I put what Pleasantville wants before any trend. So I take stock of all the wonderful, daily chats I’m having with my customers and find it rewarding, and good for business, when they realize, I listen.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing instead?
Close the store. Retire. Get bored. Open another store.
Describe your business in three words.
GO-TO-TOWN™. Our motto and merchandising strategy are one and the same.
If there were an award for your daily routine, what would it be called?
The Little Engine That Can.
What’s something you’ve gotten better at every year?
Selling the Rhoda brand as much as a cute sweater.
What’s one item you always have on hand?
Blazers.
What was your “I made it” moment?
Here are some examples:
Tell us about your favorite local spot.
Jacob Burns Film Center. How lucky are we?
What northern Westchester business do you secretly (or not so secretly) love?
If your business had a theme song, what would it be?
“One” from “A Chorus Line”
What’s the one thing your business couldn’t function without?
Alexa.
What’s the unsung hero of your business?
My secret weapon was my son. He forced me to look in the mirror, and better understand the store’s value proposition, and what could not be replicated.
What is something you wish more people knew about you and/or your business?
Rhodadendron was a Pleasantville treasure, but to be honest we were starting to feel like buried treasure. The optics were a bit tired. I wanted to run a space that better represented the upbeat shopping environment I was selling. So we decided to invest in the store’s next chapter.
The process was not all roses and rhododendrons. It was hard. My secret weapon was my son. He forced me to look in the mirror, and better understand the store’s value proposition, and what could not be replicated.
My name and age were the catalysts.My son said that having the capacity at 65 to rebrand is not typical. He wanted me to own this and tribute the mid 1970s when I had my first buying job at Sears, and when America was getting to know Rhoda on Mary Tyler Moore. So the design was intended to bridge the gap between my corporate beginning to running my own little oasis, and to celebrate women of notable stamina. Like me!
We were on a roll, investing in the change, but we were very careful not to lose sight of who we are and who our dedicated customers are. I think the rebrand is just a contemporary twist on the store we’ve always been.
I hope that the changes unfolding on the town’s most popular corner gave Pleasantville residents some optimism. It certainly reflected in the numbers. We were done in time for Christmas; our sales matched 2020, and on occasion, were better.
Address: 73 Wheeler Ave, Pleasantville, NY 10570
Phone number: (914) 769-0391
Website: rhoda.co
This article was published in the January/February 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
To view all 2026 Connect to the Best winners, click here.
Isabella Aranda is a designer, writer and social media specialist with an M.A. in emerging media from the New Media Institute at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication. Driven by curiosity and inspired by timeless modern design, she blends creativity and strategy to craft compelling narratives that engage diverse audiences.
Her expertise spans digital marketing, content creation and UX design, with notable achievements such as co-creating the Georgia On Your Mind podcast and leading digital campaigns that significantly boosted engagement. A Venezuelan immigrant, Isabella brings a multicultural perspective to her work, enhancing her ability to connect with and inspire others.
