Entrepreneur Marguerite Adzick Reflects on Four Years of Her Athleisure Brand Addison Bay

Addison Bay founder Marguerite Adzick in Suburban Square, Ardmore / Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou

A champagne-filled brunch at Parc was the scene of a light-bulb moment for athleisure entrepreneur Marguerite Adzick.  “It was New Year’s Day of 2018,” the Addison Bay founder recalls. “I looked around and saw that 99 percent of women were wearing leggings and thought: Wow, that’s a movement. These women are wearing leggings far beyond the gym.” 

At the time, there weren’t many options for activewear beyond the basic black legging, Adzick says. So she left that brunch and drew up a business plan for an e-commerce destination that would offer “polished, elevated activewear that can take you from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.” With the stamina of a former college athlete — she played lacrosse for UVA — Adzick launched Addison Bay while six months pregnant with her first child, quitting her job at Lilly Pulitzer to go all-in. Three years later, she unveiled a store in Avalon, and this week, she’ll open the doors to her second brick-and-mortar location, in Ardmore’s bustling Suburban Square. She has also expanded her concept from a curated site of high-end brands to  a private-label business, bringing in a team of designers to work from her Center City headquarters. 

Adzick advises budding entrepreneurs to “shoot your shot and go for it all the way. If you’re halfway in, it just will not work.” The sole owner also credits her success to cautious fund-raising and budget allocation. “It’s very popular right now to raise a ton of money, give away a lot of your equity, and spend on really flashy and cool things,” she says. “I’ve been really disciplined with our marketing strategy, and I think that’s why we’ve been able to be profitable for several years in a row.” 

With a third baby on the way, Adzick says the most rewarding part of her job is “being a good role model for my kids, specifically my daughter. I love showing her what hard work looks like.” And she’ll do it in a great pair of leggings.

Everyday Favorite

The “Everyday” legging / Photograph courtesy of Addison Bay

Addison Bay’s best-selling leggings are the classic six-stripe “Everyday” variety ($108). These polished pants will take you “from the gym to drinks with your girlfriends,” Adzick says. “They look polished and elevated, but they’re also super-comfortable.”

Published as “Stretch Goals” in the September 2022 issue of Philadelphia magazine.