On the Purple Couch with Bahia Akerele

Bahia Akerele is a wife, a mother, and a budding entrepreneur. And she doesn’t hesitate to share exactly which of these roles is most important to her. Her deep desire to be a focused mother to her young son is what led her to set up shop in one of Washington, DC Metro Area’s busy corridors with something uniquely fun and creative.  On the Purple Couch is a consignment store located on Bonifant Street, in the bustling city of Silver Spring in Maryland. The shop, which holds painting classes and sells upscale clothing to a select clientele, is hailed as “a store with a purpose and a mission… a mix of my life and my experiences of living in some of the most beautiful places in the world… combined with a passion for living and doing good.” Meet Ms. Bahia Akerele, fabulous travelister and owner of On the Purple Couch. Her mother is Liberian and her father is Nigerian.

Name:  Bahia Akerele
Position: Owner, On the Purple Couch, A Consignment Experience.
Background:  My background is in Social Welfare; specifically I was a consultant working with Philanthropic organizations in the DC area.  In 2008 I had major back surgery which changed the way I could work.  In 2009 I got married, and had a baby in 2011. After a year of staying home with our son I decided to start a local consignment store that would blend my love of clothing and home décor, hence On the Purple Couch.  I sell upscale consigned clothes, painted furniture & Chalk Paint® decorative paint.
Age:  Very proud that I will be 40 in April…woohooo.
Country of Birth:  USA
Country of Residence:  USA
Education:  BA Sociology, BA African Studies, Masters degree in Social Work, Graduate Certificate in Marketing  & Fellowship in Philanthropy & Civil Society.
Marital status: Married to Edward W. Neufville, III Esq, Managing Partner at Law Office of Edward W. Neufville, III, and mom to Master Edward W. Neufville, IV, fine boy.
Role Model:  My mother Hon. Olubanke King- Akerele, Former Minister  of  Foreign Affairs Liberia, West Africa; 20 year United Nations Veteran, Economist, Author & Philanthropist
Favorite Thing to Do: Spending time in nature, being with my family & friends.
Favorite Dish: Potato Greens, Liberian dish
Guilty Pleasure(s):  Gummy Bears & Coke
Last Book Read: Business manual for class. Can’t remember the name
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/onthepurplecouch
Twitter Handle: @thepurplecouch2
Website:  www.onthepurplecouch.

Read more about the interview here