Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorzel Waltner.
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?
When our youngest headed off to college, USD, I had been a stay at home mama and I knew I needed to jump back into the work force in some manner to help pay for his housing and living expenses. We had a few years previously pulled down a barn and repurposed the wood for our own home and so I felt I wanted to get into my own small business with repurpose and saving of old treasures in some way with that. I started small, in a booth at a local vintage shop. My farmhouse style of repurposing vintage and saving old farms pieces seemed to come on the scene at the same time as the Gaines had started their Fixer Upper Show for HGTV. Folks had fallen in love with the rustic farmhouse look and I had just so happened to have started my business with repurposing barn wood. It was truly blessed in the craziest way.
Eventually, the small space grew into a larger space there at that store and then we grew once more to our own warehouse of 1,200 square feet. We opened it up for shopping only 4 days a month, this was due to us selling out in those four days of all we had brought in and needing time to go hunt up more pieces. We also began at that same time doing a market as well to love on and help market our local vintage home decor community a bit more. This began at my home in my front and back yard but quickly in a few years grew to our local soccer fields, then now we set up and hold them seasonally at the local airport hangars. We also have added local mall pop up shops to support small business friends also. We take empty mall shop space and convert them to a vintage 3 day shopping experience to support vintage and small local shops.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh goodness.. the most difficult part always is making the adjustment for growth. As My market grew we needed constantly more space. Now normally that would be a wonderful problem to have, growth. But it requires much thinking out of the box for it all. You also add more costs, liability, resources, etc. The same with the selling out of items from my warehouse shop, though it was so exciting and wonderful at the time, it means thinking of business a bit different when you don’t sell products or items that you can buy in bulk. The vintage business I do is one of a kind and old pieces that require work on them and fixing, etc. and because you only have a limited time in a day, it takes creative ways to make it work. The other hard part for this ole gal, truly was social media and computer input. I hired different folks to help from time to time, but ultimately the marketing and advertising needed to come from me. I still am not always sure how to do any of it. I’ve relied on A whole heap of prayer and a bit of asking many folks a lot of questions. 🙂 and then ultimately just jumping in even when it may not be perfect. I have discovered if folks come along to love what you love and follow you for it all, they are so graciously forgiving when it doesn’t always come out great.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a vintage and local community small business promoter and host for seasonal experiences. We support all things local, small businesses. I am most proud of my ability to adjust through the years no matter the circumstances to continue holding these events. To bless the local larger business community with our experiences as well. We bring small and big businesses together, invite the community out to come to support them all. It’s about hometown survival and the continuing of our community’s greatest support system.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
BOOKS…. Brendon Burchard, Life’s Golden Ticket: A Story about Second Chances
Built to Sell by John Warrillow
Find Your Red Thread by Tamsen Webster
Dream Big Podcast with Bob Goff
Contact Info:
- Email: lorzel@barnhousevintagemarket.com
- Website: www.barnhousevintagemarket.com
- Instagram: @barnhousechicksmarket
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barnhousevintagemarket
Image Credits
Public 311 Design
