Being creative can often drain resources because of the investment required. When a creative hobby can bring money back to the creator, it can become a business.
Emme Moore, a nurse at Throop Elementary and PHS, recently opened Hobby and Homestead, selling her hand-knit, crocheted, and sewn products, accessories, gifts, and home decor.
“There is a little bit of everything so I can get a good idea of what people like and want to see more of,” said Moore. “You can expect my products to change with the seasons, and I have many ideas for new products for the upcoming months.”
For years, Moore has enjoyed hobbies like knitting, crocheting, and sewing, so she started the business.
“I make several different things. I make hand-knitted hats and accessories. I can also crochet, so I crochet some home decor stuff like pillows and baskets. I also sew and quilt a little bit. So, for Christmas, I had some quilted stockings that I’d been making. Other things that I’ve been selling at this store are padded tablets and Kindle sleeves and other small gifts, like stuffed animals,” said Moore.
Moore has had these hobbies for years; however, she has just recently started her own business.
Moore is currently in the experimental phase of her business, figuring out how to price her products and which ones sell best. Once she gets past this stage, her business will become more profitable.
“Hobby and Homestead is still not profitable, but I enjoy it so much. If I’m going to make these things anyway, I might as well try and sell some of it. I just enjoy doing it,” said Moore.
Moore typically sells products on a Shopify site called hobbyandhomestead.com; however, she temporarily suspended the site in early November.
“I have a Shopify site that is currently on vacation right now because I just started in a store at The IN Store in Ellisville. It’s a store that has local products. So there are probably 30 to 40 different vendors in that store, and they’re all from around Indiana,” said Moore.
Moore started a booth at The IN Store a month ago, and it has now become her main focus.
“Since the start of the holiday season, I went ahead and put my online store on vacation mode to focus on what happens with The IN Store,” said Moore.
The online site will open back up in late January or February.
Moore started selling her products at The IN Store because she dislikes the online shipping process. As her business evolves, she has a few goals she would like to accomplish.
“I have a like monthly booth fee and then it’s 10% commission from that at The IN Store. So I would like to make money each month from the booth to pay that off and make it profitable,” said Moore. “So at this point, I have to figure out the more businessy part of it and keep better track of budgeting and finances.”
Anyone interested in buying Moore’s products can visit The IN Store in Ellisville or visit hobbyandhomestead.com.
