Vendor Boutique-Gifts-DIY Workshops
ABOUT
I get asked all the time how this whole store situation came about soooo…..if your one of the curious ones or just really bored, here ya go! If you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up as a child, I would have answered “teacher” every single time and while I did do that for awhile, I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I would grow up to be the owner of a store in Durant, OK. My love for crafting and creating comes from my mother who is very artistic and creative and some of my earliest memories are of stuffing pillows on the floor of her sewing room while she painted something fabulous. Fast forward to the end of 2011 when I had just had my first baby. Despite my best efforts in trying to plan to have him during the summer, he was an October baby and I had to return to school to teach in the Spring. Upon my return that stubborn child of mine refused to take a bottle the whole day I was gone to work. My momma heart could not take the thought of him going hungry all day long while I was working, so despite not really being financially able to do so, I resigned from my teaching position at the end of that year to stay home with my sweet Elijah. To try and earn SOME extra income “Foster Creativity” was born in July of 2012, headquartered on my dining room table. As I got busier, it migrated to our spare bedroom. When I decided to no longer rent out my “starter home” that I had purchased in college and place it up for sale, I thought instead of letting it sit empty while it was on the market, I would start hosting DIY Workshops out of it. They went over so well, that we made sure the next home that we purchased had room for them to continue. I converted the shop next to our new home into my dream workspace where the DIY Workshops and my business continued to grow. As it grew I did a few pop up shops and vendor shows, and if you know me at all, then you know those are not for me😂. I asked some of the other moms at these pop ups, if I were to open a commercial location, would they be interested in renting a spot? The desire for this was overwhelming so I got to work planning. Foster Creativity opened its doors in Downtown Durant in April of 2017 and you guys have showed up with an absolutely unbelievable amount of support ever since. The store underwent a name change in the beginning of 2019 and is known currently as Durant Mercantile. A business started out of the necessity of a mother needing to stay home and raise her children has grown into something I could have never imagined because of God, all of my vendors, family, friends and loyal customers. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, without y’all this never would have gotten as far as it is today.💕
Photo from the very first day we opened.