Hi, there! I'm Katie, owner of Springfield Mercantile. I figured if I'm going to have a blog, I should probably start by introducing myself. Once upon a time, I made my living creating whimsical felt creatures, developing craft tutorials, and... I used to be a lifestyle blogger. If you knew me from the "before times"... this isn't like that. We do have to start somewhere though, right? 
This post will most likely be long-winded, but after a little backstory, my goal for this blog is to highlight the artists and products I carry in this beautiful little shop of mine. I'm passionate about what I do, and I'd like you to know why.

Long story long.
I'd say long story short, but the journey to right now wasn't completely conventional.

One summer, my daughter played softball. She hated it. It was hot, she wasn't great at it, and she was pretty shy and wasn't really bonded with any of the girls on the team. Her coach: a cool lady named Molly. I liked Molly. I mean, I just told you she was cool, so you probably figured as much. You should also know going forward, she's still "Molly Softball" in my phone.

Down the road, Molly and I would cross paths again several times. The most notable was in September of 2023 when she texted me out of the blue and asked if I wanted to come by the shop. You see, Springfield Mercantile Co. was created by Molly. I learned about Swedish dishcloths and why linen is a perfect material and Berkey water filtration systems and Beeswrap (and and and) from Molly. She wanted me to come by, so I eventually did. What I didn't know is that I was going to be presented with the opportunity to buy this beautiful business and make it my own. I had NEVER thought of owning a brick and mortar retail business. I'm a crafty gal who makes her living playing in a 90s tribute band. My things are flexible. My schedule moves. This is static. This has structure and rigidity. This is terrifying. The more I thought about it though, the more excited I got. My confidence would swell as I thought about how I would make this space my own, and then self doubt would knock me back down 3 pegs. What a huge decision. But what a HUGE opportunity. Someone... erm... Molly believed I was a good fit to continue her vision. Her legacy. Of course it would morph and evolve because Molly and I have very different styles, but we appreciate the same types of things: 
*Buying quality products to utilize in the years to come instead of contributing to our throw away culture. 
*Acquiring items that are personal and special enough to love in your lifetime and hopefully one day become family heirlooms. 
*Keeping our homes as "clean" (toxin-free) as we have control over.

Spoiler alert.
I said yes to buying the business. I purchased Springfield Mercantile Co. on October 1st of 2023, got the keys on November 1st of 2023, and opened up my doors on December 8th of 2023. I had no idea what I was doing, but I sure jumped in. If you don't already know this about me: I have no chill. I went from, "Oh yeah, I'll take my time and blah, blah, blah..." to becoming fully engulfed and sprinting to the finish line.
I went from entering into the peak of retail Christmas season straight into the retail desert of January and February. It was scary, I had moments of feeling completely trapped (many, many moments), and I'm proud of myself for doing it. I'd be a total fraud if I didn't mention the support of my husband, Johnny, and my best friend, Amy, (who also made my swans) for cheering me on and treating me gently as I navigated those waters for the first time. Uh, oh- is this where I start getting sappy? I should stop before I cry. That's not sarcasm. I'm a crier.

Anyway, to keep this from becoming an actual autobiography, here's where I sit now: I have a clearer vision for this wonderful place I pour my heart and energy into than I did when I first started. That's learning and growing, eh? I definitely don't have it all figured out yet, but... well, I definitely don't have it all figured out. I have to remind that perfectionist part of me that if we don't try and fail and learn and try and fail and learn that life is boring and "perfect" is not real. 

If you made it this far, you're a champ. If you skimmed, I would've, too. Welcome to the Springfield Mercantile Co. blog. I swear the rest of the posts will be less windy... or will they? Dun dun duuuunnnn... -Katie