Kristin Newman didn’t set out to open a store, but when she saw a neglected building in her beloved hometown, she felt called to restore it. “I wasn’t actively looking, and honestly didn’t even want to open a store at the time. But when I saw this old, run-down building for sale that most people would have torn down and built new, I took it as a challenge and a calling to buy it and make it into something great.”
Her love for small towns and unique shops began early. “My grandmother instilled in me at a young age the love to travel to small towns and visit their local quirky shops.” That inspiration—combined with her desire to uplift the community—shaped Annie’s Mercantile into what it is today: a vibrant, permanent market space for local artists and small businesses.
“I used locals to help with the renovation process. I called my childhood art teacher, who is a loved artist in the area, to paint a colorful mural on the side of the building, with my daughter’s help. I used a local metalworker to make the store sign for the front of the building. The interior walls that are covered in tongue and groove are from a local family-owned business.”
From the start, Kristin envisioned Annie’s as more than just a retail space. “I have prayed over our business since the beginning, so that God’s glory, love and joy would shine through it to everyone who enters. As you walk in the door, you can feel it. You can’t help but be in a good mood when you walk into Annie’s.”
Launching a multi-vendor store while running other businesses and homeschooling her daughter meant Kristin needed a system she could rely on. “I was looking for organization. I own multiple businesses, homeschool my daughter, and have a family to put my attention towards. I was stressed that the organization that this multi-vendor store needed would take more time away from my family.” She implemented SimpleConsign from the very beginning.
“The tasks are simple. My husband, daughter, and mom have jumped in to help me on busy days and did not get overwhelmed with not knowing how to do it. It’s not intimidating at all.”
Kristin especially values the efficiency of checkouts and vendor payouts. “Time-saving especially. Tracking consignor's sales and consignor payout. Quick checkout.” Her vendors have also noticed the difference.
One of Kristin’s favorite features is the barcoded tags. “The barcode tags for checkout is a game changer. It’s fast, it puts the sales in each consignors/vendors account so I don’t have to split it up on my own.”
She also appreciates SimpleConsign’s support team's responsiveness. “Every time I have a question or issue, I get a call or email within minutes of reaching out. I love customer support.”
Annie’s Mercantile may be new, but plans for growth are already underway. “We are already doing construction to expand our building so we can offer more booth space for vendors.”
Kristin is confident that SimpleConsign will grow with her. “Most definitely!” When asked if she’d recommend it to others in the industry, she’s clear: “It is worth spending the extra money for this software.”
And when it comes to time saved? “I can’t even calculate it – but many, many hours that I don’t have to give.”