Cactus Creek Blazes a Trail to Martin City’s Charm
By Kathy Feist
“We provide stuff for people that have that spirit of a trail blazer,” says Fancy Smith, owner of the Cactus Creek shop located in Weston, MO.
If so, then Martin City, a town filled with trail blazers, is the right location for her extended merchandise.
Cactus Creek will celebrate a Grand Opening on September 10 at Re: Charm, 612 #. 135 St, where it will showcase its inventory of unique cowhide rugs, turquoise jewelry, western inspired purses, clothing and vintage accessories. Its new Cactus Creek Trailblazer, a retail mobile similar to a food truck, will be doing double duty in the parking lot.
Smith started down this trail years ago when she gave up the corporate world to work at a rustic furniture store on the Plaza called Anteks. When the Dallas-based store closed its doors to the Kansas City market, she began selling Mexican-inspired merchandise out of the barn behind her house in Lenexa. Since then, the inventory has grown to include imported and vintage items. Six years ago she moved the shop to Weston, a quaint historic town known for its bed and breakfasts, wineries, and artisan and craftsman merchandise.
Her latest venture has been creating her mobile retail shop. The van will make regular appearances around the area, including the grand opening and possibly Martin City’s Third Thursday events.
“I love being a merchant,” she says. “If this was a hundred years ago I would be traveling in a covered wagon peddling merchandise.”
In June, Smith became a vendor at Restoration Emporium, an old warehouse in the West Bottoms that has become a popular vintage market, leasing booth space to 50 vendors and boasting a waiting list. Last year, Restoration Emporium, also known as RE, opened its sister store, RE: + Charm, in Martin City.
Re: + Charm
Restoration Emporium and Charm feature farmhouse, antique and urban-inspired décor. The motto Re-store, Re-purpose, Reuse and Renew sets the tone. An additional “re” word, re-imagine, pretty much sums it up. Many vendors will repurpose a “find” by painting or reupholstering old furniture or making cutouts from old wood or scripting clever sayings on barnwood.
One such vendor, Suzanne Baus, sells painted furniture and vintage home accessories at the West Bottoms store. “It’s whatever I can find,” she says, adding she gives the furniture a distressed look. She says she is best known for her vintage Christmas selection, selling the aluminum Christmas trees, old ornaments and Christmas stockings. “Stuff people used to fine at the five and dime store,” she says.
Baus is also the current manager at Charm. She replaced Sheila Hansen who left the store to spend more time with her children.
“I always wanted to run my own little store,” she says. “I really have enjoyed it.”
Baus not only waits on customers but also helps vendors decorate the store with their one of a kind items. Right now, Charm is heavily into the Fall décor.
She also plans special events such as First Saturdays, Moms, Muffins and Mimosa, and the upcoming Outdoor Vintage Market on September 16 and 17. (Vendors are welcome.)
Charm is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm.