From 2018 through 2023 our little “church” has hosted Reclaimed Second Saturdays.
Our staff has managed to bring together thousands of vendors, customers, musicians and community members. We have loved every second of the journey over these past five years and are grateful to have had the opportunity to be the company that has hosted such a special event.
At the end of the 2023 season, a few different things came our way leading to a Reclaimed brand pivot, which I am going to try to explain in the next few paragraphs. I will humbly tell you of our struggles and our successes and bring you along this journey with us with as much transparency as I can muster.
First, I guess we should mention what the pivot is, and how we are planning to spend our next year inside the Reclaimed brand. As many of you have heard, we are going to be focusing on the Reclaimed Stage as our primary source of events in the 2024 season. Instead of the Second Saturday events that included shopping and food trucks, we are going to focus more specifically on the live music portion.
One of the reasons that we decided to make the change is due to our experience with one of our mentors and friends, Rory Feek. As many of you know, Rory graciously visited our stage last year for a concert of epic proportion. It was a dream of Brad’s to have him on our stage and in our community. When that dream came to fruition, it was difficult to “go back” to what we had been living through the church and Second Saturdays. It honestly seemed like our concert with Rory (and the time we were able to spend with him the next day) was our sign to continue moving forward. We know that a lot of you don’t see this as a “step forward”, but for us, our business has always been about following a dream, and this dream showed us a new path. Rory encouraged us to follow it, and we accepted the challenge.
Live music and concerts in our intimate setting, under the lights, and on that Reclaimed Stage seems like the best fit for our brand and our continuing goal of bringing a community together. One of the greatest parts about the new Reclaimed Stage focus is that we are going to be able to bring our friends, family and community members (that’s YOU) closer in proximity and conversation with some of the greatest in music. Our hope is that the lineup for the 2024 season will take you back to a simpler time when you remember jamming out to “Queen of Memphis” or “Little Red Rodeo.”
We hope, when you are listening to your childhood favorites on our stage, that you can close your eyes and go back to the moments when the wind was blowing through your hair, and your greatest concern was what you were going to wear to the party that night. We hope it takes you to the times when gravel roads were your Friday nights and Saturdays were reserved for “cruising the strip”; when Hardees was the best hangout, and cell phones didn’t even exist. We hope our stage helps you get there, if even for just a moment.
Reclaimed, as a brand, has always been, and will always be about reaching for a simpler, more aware, more connected way of living. We know that sometimes life moves too fast, and we get caught in the minutiae of living, but it’s because of that, that we created a space where we are reminded to slow down, to appreciate where we came from and the lives that made us who we are. Reclaimed is our reminder.
No matter what pivots we make, now, or in the future, we promise to always focus on this sentiment above. It matters to us, to continue to create a space for people to feel what they need to feel and for us to encourage them to see past whatever hurts are right in front of them. Whether we perpetuate that through shopping events that are centered around reclaimed furniture or stage events that promote “reclaimed living,” our mission is the same.
We hope you understand. We hope you join us. We hope you see what we see.
BUT, if you don’t, that’s okay, too. Just know that if we don’t follow the path and direction in which we are being pulled, we wouldn’t be who we said we were all along. We are always going to be here to support the idea of slowing down. We are committed to focusing on what matters, bringing those closest to us just a little bit closer, and hopefully, filling you with the promise of tomorrow, by showing you the importance of the past.
We love you all. Thank you for being Reclaimed’s biggest support. We couldn’t do it without you.
-Callie Page
Meanwhile in the shop…
October 26, 2023
Rory Feek
September 22, 2023
If you’ve been following our blog, story, or social media, then you know about RORY FEEK!
We know we’ve been a little over-the-top-excited about him performing on the Reclaimed Stage in Centralia, MO on September 30th, but what you may not know is what he means to us and how this came to be.
WHO IS RORY?
If you don’t know the love story/rise to greatness story of Joey & Rory Feek, then we couldn’t possibly explain its beauty through one blog post. We would refer you to https://www.hardisonmill.com/roryfeek
Joey and Rory’s story is one of our favorites and we hope you watch or read it, in its entirety, before joining us in front of the Reclaimed Stage on September 30.
WHY RORY?
Brad, my husband and co-owner of Reclaimed, has been connected to the story of Joey & Rory since they started their public music journey in 2008. He has been inspired and encouraged by the bravery and beauty that is Joey & Rory. Brad’s grandma, Lucille, was the first person who introduced Joey & Rory to Brad and that connection has lived in his heart since its inception in 2008.
When we first remodeled “the church”, which is the building where we house Reclaimed, five years ago, Brad took me out back in the yard behind the church and made a declaration. It was only he and I there at the time, so the memory is one of our favorites together. He said, “Cal, someday, in this yard Rory Feek will come and play. Grandma will be here to hear him. She’s going to be in the front row.”
To which I replied, “Ok, well, don’t you think we should probably build a stage first?” 🙂
A piece of that promise was taken from us in February of 2022, when grandma was called to heaven. The following November, I surprised Brad with tickets to see Rory at his Homestead at Hardison Mill in Nashville. After we met Rory in person, we realized that he was exactly the type of person that he portrays in the media. He’s kind, gentle, and loving. He was, and is, the real deal.
When we got back home from our Nashville trip, Brad contacted Rory’s team and simply asked if he would come and perform on our stage. Fully expecting to be turned down, Brad anxiously awaited his answer. I was lucky enough to be there when the email came in stating Rory would, in fact, be coming to Reclaimed Stage. The photos below sum up the feeling of that day.
(It’s an amazing thing to witness someone else’s dream coming true.)
WHY CENTRALIA?
Rory playing on Reclaimed Stage will be the FIRST time (to our knowledge), Centralia, Missouri will have a GRAMMY AWARD WINNER perform. We are honored and grateful to be a part of that.
When we initially asked Rory to come play on our stage, we didn’t think it was going to be a possibility. We knew Rory had essentially stopped traveling to put on concerts at other venues in the recent past, and didn’t expect that he would make an exception. He has since told us that he is supportive of what we are doing with our Reclaimed endeavors and was happy to come play on our stage. I’m sure you can imagine how honored and grateful we were to hear that! We hope our community, friends, family, and supporters enjoy every second of having this incredible legend in our hometown!
Centralia, MO has so much to offer as a small town destination spot, so adding Rory Feek on the Reclaimed Stage to that line up, is just icing on the cake.
Join us September 30, 2023! You can purchase your tickets here: www.reclaimedpage.com/stage Make sure to earmark a shirt to commemorate the event as well!
-Callie Page
… There’s Always More
September 1, 2023
We have a couple t-shirts in our store that perfectly sum up the idea behind Reclaimed. One of my favorites is the tee that says, “There’s Always More.” As a gift to our customers who purchase the shirt, we often add a little card to explain the real meaning and idea behind the shirt itself.
I have to remind myself on a continual basis that “there’s always more” to the story behind the rude kid at the checkout counter, the teacher who told my child that she wasn’t capable, the guy who cut me off on my way to work, etc. There’s always more to their day, their mindset, and their story.
I remember one time, when I was young (maybe in high school), I came home with my judgy pants on. I told my dad a story about this kid who talked back to the teacher and wouldn’t cooperate in math class. If I’m being honest, I was half telling him because of the injustice of it all, but the other half was because I looked really great by comparison. He heard my whole story, and when I was finished he said, “(insert my much-too-embarrassing-to-share nickname here) that kid doesn’t care about 2 + 2. He’s only worried about whether or not he will get his teeth kicked in when he goes home tonight.”
I was stunned. I was sick to my stomach. His response so long ago still makes me think on a daily basis, “What does that person have to deal with that I don’t even have to think about?” When I view people I interact with through that lens, it makes me see them differently. It makes me understand that, “There’s Always More” to every situation, every person, and every story.
This is what we intend our entire Reclaimed company to stand for. It’s easy to see our mission with the visual of old barns, and beautifully, hand-crafted new furniture. That unusable barn turned into a usable, and loved, piece in our customers’ homes is representative of the life we intend to live. We hope that those pieces of furniture, and our continued work towards our mission helps the people around us be reminded of this particular human experience.
It doesn’t end with what we think we know. There’s ALWAYS more. Watch the video below and help spread this Reclaimed message by clicking on the link to purchase your There’s Always More tee.
https://www.reclaimedpage.com/shop/p/theres-always-more-tee
-Callie Page
July 21, 2023
Reclaiming the Connection to Past and Present
Brad started this Reclaimed business in 2014 because of some wood he found from an old barn at his parent’s house. This barn wood came from a building on the property that he grew up on. It elicited memories from his childhood. He took those pieces of wood, not knowing that he had any ability to create things out of it, and tried to make a small end table for our home. After he finished the piece, he was pleasantly surprised with how it looked and how much it meant to him. He decided to make another, and another, until he figured out that there were probably many people, just like him, that would love a piece of furniture from a meaningful, historical piece of wood.
He was right. There were lots of people who understood the importance of resurrecting forgotten, lost things and creating something new and meaningful out of them. When we decided to create a business out of this idea, Brad was still teaching and I owned a photography studio. We had 4 young kids and didn’t have a whole lot of extra time. We decided we would travel around mid-Missouri on the weekends trying to sell our furniture at vendor fairs and holiday boutiques.
It was evident, very early, we were going to need a continual supply of barn wood. Luckily for us, we were born and raised in the midwest and had many contacts willing and able to give us their (past the point of being used) old barns. We loved the idea of being able to give those families a little piece of their barn back to them in a new and useful way.
But what was surprising, was that even people who had no connection to a particular barn, were still connected to the idea of the barn wood holding a history and a purpose in their homes. Actually, over the past 9 years, we have seen our customer base grow almost entirely to people who reside in the city. I’d hate to speculate as to why this is, but I like to think that everyone, even those that did not have the chance to grow up on a farm, understands the importance and history those barns hold. I like to think everyone understands the fact that the wood used in their pieces of furniture, sustained several generations of families and supplied an income to some of the hardest workers in our world. Having something like that in our own home has made us feel more connected to those around us…and we love that.
Over the years we have taken down many, many barns. The work is difficult, and at times dangerous, but the reward is inspiring. Not only do we get to create beautiful items during the process, but we also get to have a lot of cool experiences with the owners of those barns. We’ve heard countless stories about the families that used them, and the history that they hold.
This business is a pretty cool gig. 😉
-Callie Page
July 5, 2023
The Evolution of Reclaimed
As our audience at Reclaimed grows and our reach expands, we find that more and more of our customers have less and less connection with how our business and our brand got its start. This blog post, and this blog in general, will hopefully serve as a reference to the beginnings of Reclaimed, how it got started, our values, and our vision for its continued growth. There has always been a method behind our madness and a reason behind our team’s every move. We do a lot of things, and we have grown in several different verticals, but our core values and what we stand for has not changed in the slightest. We’d love to tell you about that. We’d love for you to be a part of our story.
Why Reclaimed?
Brad and I knew that we wanted and needed to be business owners, and forge our own path, since about 10 years ago. Life was feeling a little uninspired, and less than fun. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut in this life, and we were definitely there. We were dealing with the sadness and pain that comes with losing a nephew and we were questioning our lives and the direction and path we should ultimately be taking. Brad was a math teacher and I was a photographer and neither of those career paths were something either one of us took any joy from any longer. We decided, after my nephew passed away, that life was too short, and nothing was going to hold us back from living a life of meaning and purpose. It took some soul searching and determination to forge a path forward, but a couple of years later, we found ourselves in the midst of vendor shows and barn wood furniture because of ONE small piece Brad had made with wood from a family farm. It was an opening into a world that we had no idea would serve us on so many levels.
Brad found meaning in the wood itself and connected to the use of barn wood in general. There was something about using wood that meant so much to people he loved, that inspired his growth and expertise in the industry. He started with small things, like side tables and home décor pieces, and quickly created a business that showcased beautiful heirloom furniture pieces that found their way into homes all over the Midwest.
I, being a mental health counselor and lover of words and stories, quickly became fascinated with the story behind the pieces. It occurred to me, that what we were doing wasn’t just making furniture from old wood, it was much more about the history that we were preserving, and the story of what that furniture came to mean. Most importantly, the relationships and conversations we were having with the people who originally owned the barns and the wood became the MOST important parts of the pieces we were creating.
Fast forward a few years, and several crazy conversations later, Brad and I decided (at virtually the same time) that we would like to have our idea of Reclaimed (the story and the pieces) to be visible on a grander, more permanent stage. We decided to open a storefront. Now, we knew from the very beginning, that this storefront couldn’t be a typical furniture store, open daily, in a town of 4000 people. And, we also knew, that we didn’t just want to sell furniture for a living. We wanted to create an idea and feeling that emulated the Reclaimed furniture process and the story that had existed in our heads for the previous 4 years. We wanted something MORE. We couldn’t exactly put our finger on “more” at the time, but we knew what it wasn’t going to be, and that ultimately led us to what it has become.
So, What is Reclaimed currently?
Reclaimed is a lot of things currently, and has grown significantly since its start several years ago. Brad and I knew that we couldn’t house our storefront in any random building, as it served as our jumping off point in conveying to the world, what Reclaimed “the idea” stemmed from. We found a perfect little white church from the 1800’s (one of the first buildings in our town of Centralia, MO) and restored it to all its glory. We know that church was previously an African Methodist Episcopal church, but are not sure of its history before the 1950’s. We assume that this little building was probably always a church and probably served several different people and families over the years. The use of a church with history such as this one, reminds us daily that families came before us, and will come after us, and that we are just a little part in the story of this building. This kind of perspective helps us keep a handle on our lives and the focus of our business. It upholds the idea of Reclaimed, and portrays what we see as our goal: meaning, purpose, love, connection, and the thread of commonality amongst all people. This building, and our mission in it, connect generations before us, and ultimately, after us as well. THIS is the idea we wanted to be a part of.
Because of our little storefront in our little church in the small town of Centralia, MO, we have developed a strong brand presence in several different verticals. Here are some of the things that Reclaimed does in our community:
- Reclaimed Second Saturdays – This is a gathering once a month on the second Saturday from April to November. We open our storefront, invite 50-75 vendors (handmade, artisan or vintage), host anywhere from 3-8 food trucks and have live music on our outdoor stage. This event is meant to be a shopping event complete with a unique theme for each opening. Instagram: @reclaimedpage
- Reclaimed Book & Bean – This business is a used book store and coffee shop offering vintage and used books as well as coffees, teas, frappes and sweet eats. This business is open daily and hosts several events each week independent of the church (storefront). This business is also open with the same hours on Second Saturdays each month and is a stop on our trolley rides around town. Instagram: @reclaimedbookandbean
- Reclaimed Trolley Co – This business is a vintage Trolley named “Dolly”. She provides FREE rides to our visitors during Second Saturdays to explore the town and enjoy time spent with family. Dolly is also available for rental on non-Second Saturdays weekends and week days. Instagram: @reclaimedtrolleyco
- Reclaimed Weddings – This business is a service we offer to brides to take advantage of our beautiful grounds on their big day! We offer small gathering weddings at an affordable price in an outdoor setting. Instagram: @reclaimed_weddings
- Reclaimed Lifestyle Blog – This business is where we envision all of our endeavors coming together on an online platform. We hope to inspire, teach, share and experience community and connection on this blog all while promoting our Reclaimed Brand and all it stands for. www.reclaimedlivingblog.com
- Reclaimed Foundation – This vertical in our Reclaimed platform is a Non-profit entity that gathers donations and funds to pour back into our community as our executive board sees a need. In 2022 we raised over $6000 to give back to those in need. If you are interested in this project please visit www.reclaimedfoundation.com
- Reclaimed Stage Presents – Our Reclaimed Stage Presents piece of our business is the newest addition and has recently booked the Heartland Dueling Pianos as well as Grammy Award winner, Rory Feek to play on our stage in 2023. This piece of our company is an exciting addition to our overall brand as we love music and have a special place in our hearts for all musicians! We hope our stage provides a community outreach that allows people from all over the United States to join us in the relaxing outdoor atmosphere that we provide at Reclaimed!
-Callie Page
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