Wander Over to Rebel & Rove

By: Brikelle Corcoran

Corcol Commercial Real Estate

Downtown Yuma is full of hidden gems. One of those gems is the boutique Rebel and Rove located on S Main Street. Rebel and Rove is owned by Serena Koogle, who was born and raised in Washington State and has a long history of being an entrepreneur. “I have been an entrepreneur most of my life. When I was little, my obsession with sales began with girl scout cookies. My obsession with inventory started with making sure my dad didn’t take any of the cookie boxes. It grew from there and several businesses later and we have Rebel,” Serena stated.

Serena married her high school sweetheart shortly after graduating high school and was a stay at home mom while she raised her 2 children. She started a small business out of her home while her daughter was in high school, called Ginger and Lemon, selling handmade flower items (headbands, hats, bridal bouquets, etc). It eventually grew and Serena turned it in to a store front on Main St in the 224 shops in 2014, with the name Rebel and Rove. It has been gradually growing and the store moved locations 2 years ago to 299 S. Main Street. Serena chose the name “Rove” first for the store because of the meaning behind it. Rove means to spin fibers together to create textiles, perfect for a clothing store. Rove also means to wander or travel constantly without a fixed destination. She combined Rebel with Rove and the rest is history.

When asked how Serena chooses which products to include in her store, she reported that she just buys what she likes and thinks about what she would give as gifts to the people she loves. Serena is inspired by making others happy. Her and her husband both grew up around family owned businesses which helped instill courage. “Some things work, some things don’t, but everything always ends up okay,” she stated. Serena is passionate about people, community and connection. “We live in a really special place, not all towns are like Yuma. I am so glad that I got to raise my family here,” Serena said. “I love how the community rallies for each other, you’re never alone, and we are each other’s cheerleaders. When one of us does well, we all do better.”

Serena and her team recently just renovated and expanded the square footage of the store by 1,800- bringing the store to a total of 3,400 square feet. Rebel and Rove has always been known for having unique souvenirs and they are working on expanding that line. They’re also expanding their men’s line as well as the gift line. “I would say our best-selling item are the Yuma t-shirts, and they’re made by someone local,” Serena stated. New products and shipments are received almost daily.

Make sure to stop by the store and check out their new products and bigger store! Their hours are Tuesday- Saturday 10-5pm. Sundays 12-3pm. Closed on Mondays. First Friday hours are 10-8pm.

Rebel and Rove

229 S. Main St.

Yuma, AZ 85364