Finding the Dream

Now that we know all about how this crazy idea originated, let's explore the events starting from May 1st, 2009:

May 1st, 2009:  The day before I turned 25.  It was such a somber day.  I was getting ready to turn a quarter of a century old!  I started to reflect on my life:  What had I accomplished?  Well, let's see; I graduated High School, put myself through College, married the most amazing man EVER - sorry ladies, you've been looking for him but I've already got him!  In fact I've had him since I was 17 - Ha!! OK, back to my story... 

Mr. Amazing and I had just purchased our first home (after diligently saving for three years - seriously, I was on a $75/month shopping budget - so hard to do when you have a College Degree in Fashion!), we both had great jobs and were beginning to tip toe around the idea of starting our perfect family of 2.5 children: one boy, who looks just like his father except has my father's hair line; one girl who has my blond hair and blue eyes - ah, who am I kidding, she'd probably have her father's black hair and green eyes - but she'd still be gorgeous; and one ridiculously cute half-chow-half-something red pound mutt named Sierra (she thinks she's a person, so she counts as that other .5).  What was missing?!

So, there I was, sitting on my living room floor frustrated with myself for being so frustrated with myself!!  Life was great!!  We were moving in the exact direction that we wanted be going!!  Finally, I realized what was wrong.  I wasn't going after my dream!!  The thing that I spent 4 years (one half class actually) and $40,000.00 pursuing!  OK, I had a cause for my restlessness - now for a way to solve it.  I turned to my husband who was watching baseball, or some other boring "man show" and said, something along the lines of,  "Babe, I think I'm going to quit my job and open my store."  Anybody want to guess what his reply was?  "Shut up, no your not."  Yep, that was it - then he resumed his "man show."  While he was absorbed with the Kansas City Royals I went into the attic, pulled out my college business plan and started thinking.

I knew I wanted to have my business close to my house.  I was currently driving 45min to work - not 45min stuck in traffic; 45min of lonely highway through the hilly, curvy but beautiful Ozark Mountains.  I was tired of the drive and of being gone for a total of 12 hours a day due to work (10hr work days plus 45min commutes each way doesn't leave you with a lot of "home time").  So, what type of retail business did Ozark, MO need?  Did I mention that we had just purchased our first home?  Okay, good - it's an important aspect of this story.  My dream had always been to own a clothing boutique; but that's the only retail environment I really knew, well, besides Walmart.  We had just begun to buy furniture and accessories to decorate our house but were having trouble finding what we really liked - Southwest Missouri is kinda limited in the contemporary furnishings department.  We were having so much fun buying for our new home, but were having to travel to larger cities to accomplish this.  During this experience I learned that I enjoyed home decor more than I did clothes, but I had never really had the chance to explore this passion - previously I had lived in my parent's home, a dorm room and a tiny apartment.  A whole new world had been opened to me!!  Well, I'm not one to stand around when I see something that I want.  That train of thought led to my brainstorm...

Ozark, MO caters to those looking for antiques - there wasn't any place for people with my taste to shop.  Well, I was determined to give them one!