Today we’d like to introduce you to Christi O’Farrell.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My grandma was a junker/reseller, so my cousin and I would go with her while she hunted at garage sales and estate sales. This made for such a fun childhood! We had all of the most amazing clothes to play dress up in. We helped her set up her shop under the carport at her home. We played store, on a huge scale. And we got to decorate “our rooms” at her house with all the best vintage and secondhand finds. That really instilled a love in me for things that were different, unique and especially old. As a little girl I always loved old things, and as I grew up that love grew as well. As a collector of Vintage I started to get compliments on how my home was decorated. The uniqueness of it, and the warmth. So I started thinking that maybe this is something I am good at.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My sister Terry and I have a similar style so we set out to find an antique booth to share. We quickly learned booths are few and far between, and have long waiting lists. So I told her, you know what. I will just open my own antique shop! I know she thought I was crazy, but thankfully she joined in! And honestly it was totally crazy! I had never even worked in retail! My career and path has always been in animal health. So this was out of the blue and kind of a wild idea.
Something in me just told me to do it. We had not one but two building/rental situations that did not pan out. Then we finally found our little shop, a small and plain tan building with terrible red trim in Porter. I convinced my husband this was all a good idea. For some reason he believed me! And in January of 2023 he dove off into the unknown with me. We pretty much drained our savings, (one day we will get paid back babe I promise!) but we transformed that little building with our own hands, the help of some family, and a tight budget. We set a target date to open February 2023 and we made it happen! Running this business has been one of the hardest things I have ever done.
The highs and lows of owning and running a retail business are insane. I can’t tell you the amount of sleep I have lost. And the times I have spent wondering what the heck was I thinking! But the customers keep showing up. They keep loving us. They send pictures of spaces in their home they now love because of something they found from The Market and it makes the hard work worth it!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are a home decor shop that specializes in Vintage and one of a kind finds. We want to help our customers find beauty in the old. We live in such a “fast” world that the old is often overlooked. Yet the things of old is where you find quality, warmth and not to mention sustainability. There is definitely a huge element of recycling, upcycling, and reducing the amount of stuff that ends up in landfills when you buy vintage. But also you are preserving memories of another time, you are starting conversations, and creating curiosity because your home isn’t filled with the same ole thing that everyone else has. That is where my passion is, it’s preserving the old and encouraging others to create space to do the same. The Market is full of amazing hard working women who hunt down the best finds, and curate spaces that make you feel like you could pluck an item from a shelf and have the perfect spot for it in your home. The vibe is different, the way our spaces are put together is different. There is something for everyone, every décor style and yet it all feels like home.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I would ask your readers to be intentional about where they shop, and where they eat. Support small and support local.
We are fully dependent on foot traffic. Day to day I pour over our sales, deduct our many expenses and pray it all works out. The big box stores don’t care about you or your money. We do. We know choosing to shop with us means you may have to drive further, or worry about what hours we are/aren’t open, but I promise you we are worth it. Support small businesses, spend your money where it counts and watch all the great ways that impacts your home and others!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jcovintage.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcovintagemarket73199
