Looking for local flowers and other home decor? Local business The Barn Company in Holts Summit offers all that and more.
The Barn Company recently moved to a new location in Holts Summit. The store was previously located on Karen Drive, but is now located on West Simon Boulevard near Dollar General and Holts Summit Public Library.
Melinda Ellis, owner of The Barn Company, said they are doing a grand opening event at the end of August. They were at the previous location for a year and a half, and have been at the new storefront for about a month.
The Barn Company has not always been a brick and mortar store, as it started with Ellis making and selling wreaths on Etsy. She did this out of her garage for about a year.
Her customers began to ask for flowers in their wreaths, which caused Ellis to get more interested in floral features.
"From there, I was so busy that I decided I needed a workshop," Ellis said. "So I rented that space over there, and then one of the girls that worked for me at that time was like, 'Why wouldn't we just be open to the public?' So then we opened up to the public."
The Barn Company has been consistently busy since the store was opened, Ellis said.
"Holts Summit has been really great to us, and we've had a lot of people come in from Jeff City and even Columbia," Ellis said. "We've been really steady."
Ellis said The Barn Company offers plants, including indoor plants and a greenhouse for other plants. The new location will have an outdoor garden center next spring. Ellis said she wants the business to be fun, and provide unique things for customers.
Classes are also offered to provide a hands-on learning experience. One popular class is the terrarium course, where people can learn how to make and care for a terrarium.
Ellis said it is harder for The Barn Company to start off since Holts Summit is a smaller community. She said this business is important to a small town because of the opportunity to buy from a local gift shop, especially in a growing community like Holts Summit.
"It's a really important sentimental shop for a town like Holts Summit to have," Ellis said.
