A Tale of Two Stores

When I opened Silver Barn 7 years ago I certainly wasn’t focused on opening another store. Heck, I just wanted to survive a gas crunch, a banking and housing crisis, 2 major elections, and a major drought!
Fast forward to 2014 and an opportunity comes along that is, well, now or never! Viola! Silver Barn gets a sibling – Silver Barn & Co. Why the “& Co.?” Because we have invited a few of our favorite people to bring their excellent taste and products to be the best we can be.
The challenges? Oh yeah baby! How do you remain consistent when one store sells one thing well and the other sells something different? Decorating two stores for Christmas is like the Groundhog Day movie – it is a new day of decorating every morning — over and over!
But where am I lucky? Two of the most beautiful locations in Columbus and La Grange, Texas house our stores; and the staffs at both stores keep me going and keep me sane! Thank you guys!! And, NO, I will not share their names!

Shop Local – Support Local

For the last several years we have hosted a dinner at the Barn. We prepare the meal, some sort of activity and a discount on shopping. This dinner is a charity event for St. Anthony Catholic School donated as an auction item during their school carnival. In addition, we done another 10% of sales from the evening to the arts program at the school.
We all as independent retailers constantly ask customers to shop local, but what are you doing as a retailer to support local needs? We must be an active partner in our community if we expect the same from shoppers within the community. We are proud of our participation and get so much from it when kids tell us how much they do and learn in the art program at the school. We know we’ve helped in some small way to help them spread their wings and learn new things.
Don’t forget your customers and the community in which you both live. It does make a difference!