Some BIG Front Porch News

Oh my gosh you guys! We have BIG news! For real! And it’s all because of you and your great support this past 3 years.

I’ve started this post about bazillion times.

Do I tell you guys everything that is going on? Just a bit? All the news or just the bullet points? Decided to spill it all. So grab a coffee or glass of wine, this is LONG. Longest post I’ve ever written. But all GOOD I think.

We’re making some BIG moves that I think you are ALL going to love. Local shoppers, Atlantic Canada shoppers, Online shopper, our blog fans from around the world and my expanding clientele of creative entrepreneurs.

When we opened Front Porch Mercantile 3 years ago, on a wing and a prayer, we hoped people would come in and “get” what we were doing. My expectations were to just paint and sell furniture and retail Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in my little shop. Maybe teach a class or two.

Things have exploded since then, 3 years, 3 paint lines, 1000’s of people in workshops, a satellite location in Lunenburg, a website reaching all over the world, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to teach all over North America and work with some of the finest paint companies in the World and meet some of the most creative souls local and afar. How awesome is that?

All this awesomeness has made life a little busy. So we’ve put a plan in place to make 2017 just the best year ever for everyone.

Here’s how we are making everything easier and more awesome for you. Our favorite peeps.

 

First….we are franchising Front Porch Mercantile!

Say what?

I know, I cannot believe it either. We are super duper excited to announce that we have sold the Moncton Franchise to one of my very favorite people and creatives who happens to be one of my very best friends as well, Lisa Casey. Don’t panic. She’s super awesome and I’m not going anyplace for a while and I will continue to be the Creative Director of Front Porch Mercantile.

Lisa and her hubby Tom will own and run Front Porch Mercantile Moncton location. They moved back to Moncton from Toronto just to run Front Porch Mercantile. I’m flattered, excited and overjoyed all at the same time. It’s like I am giving them my baby to raise. Know what I mean? I have no hesitation whatsoever and that you guys will LOVE them. Lisa has more creative and design talent in one finger than I do in my whole body. She’s awesome and I can’t wait for you all to meet her in person. It’s all very exciting.

 

What will stay the same?

Our product lines won’t change! Same paints and products. Phew right?

Our wonderful staff is staying the same!

Our love for all of you is staying the same!

Our desire to inspire and encourage you and your creativity!

What WILL change and be awesome for you?

oh…you are going to LOVE this.

We’ve been growing and expanding and we have outgrown our current location. We love our current quiet wooded location and our landlord, but we needed to move. We have truly been listening to you, our local customers. You wanted a more central location that was open more days and longer store hours.

You got it!

We’re MOVING!

AND we will be open 6 days a week – seriously! 6 days a week!! SIX. (I hear you clapping)

AND we will be open longer hours and evenings. (I hear you clapping more)

AND our new location is super central to Dieppe, Riverview and Moncton (now you are standing up cheering I know I know exciting right?)

Starting late February or early March (still figuring that out) we will be located in a super awesome new location at 179 Bonaccord Street. LOTS of easy parking, very central (just up from Dolma Foods) in Moncton.

That’s not all!

That’s just Moncton news. There’s WAY more.

Nova Scotia peeps…..I heard you too!!

We are growing our business in Nova Scotia too. (I’m super excited about this part too guys!!)

You wanted more workshops, more one on one training, custom work, and creations.

We are here to help!

We currently have space at Mom’s Buy and Sell in Lunenburg and sell our Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint and FAT Paint along with some painted furniture and goods. We will continue and grow our inventory there AND  in the Spring I will be there more regularly to help you with your paint needs. We are also super duper overly excited to announce we are going to have a STUDIO space in Lunenburg! (hoping you are all clapping your hands because I am super happy about this news)

We are currently looking at a couple of locations in Lunenburg but hope to have a sunny large studio in Lunenburg for workshops, retreats, space for other creative and makers to join me in workshops and to paint!! We will be making and creating using the studio to create fun videos and blog posts too. We will be offering custom painting and consultations as well. We hope our South Shore clients will be happy.

 

********UPDATE and ironic but our new studio IS RIGHT THERE IN THAT TEAL BUILDING!!

Seriously – 125 Bluenose Drive – overlooking the Lunenburg Waterfront is our new studio – I’m a little happy about that!!

 

Wait…there’s more!

For our Online Community!

We love you. We love that you follow and stalk us (kidding) from here and all over the world. Seriously, it is such an honor that you follow along with our inspired DIY posts.

We have plans to grow our inspirational blog posts with tons more inspiration and how to information. More videos and how to’s and DIY posts. There will be tons of cottage updates and painted furniture before and afters, detailed how-to posts etc. We have some fun plans in store for you on the website. It’s getting a pretty facelift in the Spring. Even websites need re loving every now and then.

You will also start to see some posts geared towards creative entrepreneurs and business development as that side of my business has been growing and expanding as well. I do one on one coaching and mentoring with creatives running or opening businesses and am excited to be offering a little bit of that on the blog as well. You can just skip those posts if they are not your thing. ;)

We will be expanding our online shopping and will be adding some fun new creative and vintage items in the Summer and some fun how-to videos and products.

But mostly we will be posting lots of DIY blog posts for you.

2017 is shaping up to be a great creative and inspirational year!

I have shared some of this news with some customers over the last few days or so and everyone keeps asking me what I will be doing. So I decided to answer a few questions here.

I love love love that I have such caring and wonderful customers. I don’t feel we’re building just a business, I truly from the bottom of my heart feel we are building a beautifully creative and inspiring community. So many of you have become such great friends, I am touched.

Thank you for caring about me, my family and my business.

Here are some answers to questions my wonderful customers have been asking.

(I told you this post was a long one if you are still reading god love ya)

Am I moving?

Yes, and no. HA. Mr. FPM and I are putting our big farmhouse “forever” house on the market soon. It has been a hard decision as we adore this house, our big front porch, country living,  bonfires, our two acres and our life here, but, our children are grown and life has changed (many of you know my daughter is now living in New Zealand, our son is in his own home with his little family) we planned to be here forever and renovated and loved on this house as if we would, but, we are ready to sell it, it’s all wonderful and good and its time for a new family to love it. (know anyone looking for a forever home in the country with a big front porch? Email me..lol) We will post house details when we have it ready or the market (realistically in March)

Where are we going? We are planning to move to our little cottage by the sea in Lunenburg. We are going to love on our little old cottage in Blue Rocks and make it our permanent home. Hoping my Mr and I can handle downsizing and moving from this big country house to the cottage. Its a bit of an adjustment but our goal is to simplify.

We will also be living part time in our family beach cottage that we bought last Spring and renovated in Cap Pele. We plan to be around the Moncton shop a lot, Mr. FPM runs a business here and that will continue here as well. So, we are going to be around a lot. Like a lot a lot. You are all going to be so sick of me around the new space. ;)

If you are wondering what I will be doing, I will be running the studio space in Lunenburg, using the space to create and do many more blog posts, how-to videos, custom work for clients in Nova Scotia and doing lots and lots (I hope) of workshops and more retreats in NS and NB and maybe some fun exciting other places??

I also have a few other super awesome things going on, many of you know I work directly with Miss Mustard Seed and that role has given me great joy. I will be expanding that role somewhat and working with her and fellow MMSMP retailers. I am also one of her Certified Retailer Trainer and will have retailers from all over training with me in my new studio.

I also am the Regional Distributor and occasional consultant for FAT Paint chalk paint and love helping to grow and expand the line, AND I have expanded my business to include one on one coaching with fellow creatives looking to grow and expand or open a creative business.

So life is busy and awesome and creative and sweet. All of these changes were made with you, our friends and customers in mind, and for us, to slow down a little, simply and yet expand and grow. My happy bucket is full. I hope you are all happy with the direction we are taking Front Porch Mercantile.

Our mission is to inspire, encourage and delight you. To inspire you to re-love your furniture and home, to encourage you to just do it, and to delight you by going that extra mile. In our stores, online with blog posts, during workshops and when we see you at the grocery store.

I lay awake alternate nights scared to make these moves and scared not to. Worried about all of you and if we are making all the right moves. I hope you are all as excited as we are. You are all going to love Lisa in Moncton, and like I said, you will be sick of hearing from me too.

I’d love to know your thoughts on all the changes!

Thank you for making this journey such a joy!

Bless you if you read this far my friends,

Wendy

xo