NEWAYGO, Mich — Inside Katie and Company on State Road in Newaygo, you’ll find a treasure trove of hand-crafted Michigan-made goods.
The store is the brainchild of Katie DeVries.
“I just found my passion working with wood and using power tools," DeVries said.
After going through a divorce, this single mom started 'Out of the Barn' making reclaimed wood wall art for the home.
She traveled to home and garden shows selling her décor before the pandemic shut things down.
“I started doing pop-up events in my front yard in Allendale to help support other small businesses. It kind of started off as a distraction and just grew from there," DeVries said.
As winter approached, DeVries needed to find a space indoors to host more pop-up events, but then she saw this space and had the brilliant idea to open a store.
“It was something I never had on my radar to do, open up a boutique, but I just saw it immediately and felt it.“
Katie and Company came together in just ten days thanks to a strong community of makers and artists.
“I literally said, I think I might be crazy, but what do you think about me opening up a shop during a pandemic? They said I’m nuts, but they would follow me anywhere," DeVries said.
The store is doing well and DeVries plans to continue her mission of helping and supporting other entrepreneurs looking to start their own businesses and she hopes you will too.
“We’re surviving, it’s been very difficult, but reaching out to the community, and when you support other small businesses, it just comes back tenfold," DeVries said.
Katie says she’s planning to scale back on the pop-up events and focus more on the boutique.
That being said, there is a pop-up event and school supply drive next weekend.
Click here for details.
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