Dreams of being your own boss often stay just a dream, but Bella Joyce-Ward has made it her reality. On June 21, 2025 Joyce-Ward opened her very own curated vintage store, Buggin Butterfly Vintage, at 115 E Aurora Rd, Northfield.
As a 22 year-old independent entrepreneur, Joyce-Ward has worked hard to achieve this dream, saving up money while working at Once Upon a Child and selling clothes she’d thrifted through the clothing resale app Depop.
“Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to carve out my own path. The idea of being my own boss, building something from the ground up, and not having to work under someone else always appealed to me,” says Joyce-Ward.
Her store has a variety of items for sale such as clothing for women, men, and children, as well as purses, shoes, jewelry, and even a few trinkets to decorate your space. Joyce-Ward has put in the effort to build up inventory, “curating and collecting vintage,” since she was 16 and keeping the stock stored in her basement.
Any good shopper knows that the shopping experience goes beyond just what the store has in stock, it’s about the environment and atmosphere.
“The atmosphere in my store is exactly what I’ve always wanted it to be,” says Joyce-Ward. “My vision and aesthetic for the store was 70’s inspired with a whimsy and homey feel. Stevie Nicks herself was a huge inspiration for the decor.”
Shoppers can look forward to good music, exciting decor, and nostalgic movies playing in the background while they move from rack to rack.
The welcoming environment invites people in and allows them the opportunity to build their wardrobe how they’d like it.
“A lot of my outfits are thrifted, so I think it has really defined my style going into high school; now all my stuff is basically thrifted,” says junior Landon Mroczka.
Thrifting has become increasingly popular among the younger generations, many of which grew up going to garage sales with their parents, but now see thrifting as an exciting opportunity to get out and about.
“I really picked it [thrifting] up from my mom because she was the person who took me thrifting first,” says Mroczka.
Family plays a big part in many aspects of life, not only introducing new interests, but also encouraging each other to chase your dreams.
“My mom and grandma are my biggest support systems,” says Joyce-Ward. “They’ve helped me through all steps of my life and have been the greatest help with opening and running my store.”
Senior Ryan Sobecks elaborates further on the bonds strengthened through thrifting, describing it as, “an opportunity to hang out with my friends while not spending too much money.” 
Sophomore Lela Matic claims the gamble is what excites her most. “You might find stuff sometimes, and other times you won’t find anything,” she says.
Sobecks enjoys the practicality of thrifting. “Going to the mall now-a-days is way too expensive,” he says, “so I’ve opted to thrift for clothes and found some heat, and then it became more habitual.”
While none of the interviewed students from BBHHS had previously heard of Buggin Butterfly Vintage, they were all excited to learn more and hopefully visit soon. For those interested in exploring Joyce-Ward’s vintage wonderland stop by the shop to say hi between 10-7!
Joyce-Ward can also be found traveling around Ohio at vintage markets October 11 at Black Cat Curious Carnival in Medina, October 18 at Nightmare on Front Street in Cuyahoga Falls, and October 19 at Witches Weekend Market at the Common Grounds.
