There are so many interesting and exciting people and places in Bradenton, yet many don’t receive the attention they truly deserve. Over the next several months, Discover Bradenton will be uncovering Manatee County’s best “hidden gems” – the locals making waves and must-visit places that are some of the area’s best-kept secrets.
This week, we were thrilled to connect with Colleen Henderson, owner of Once Upon a Room. Here’s what she had to say…
Thanks for connecting with us today, Colleen. Before we get started, can you tell us a bit about your business?
Our retail Market House and Barn is full of home decor, gifts, and painted furniture. It’s a quaint space where you can feel the charm as you wander from room to room. We offer the perfect blend of vintage and new items.
It was important to us to have a local shop that offers items you won’t find in other stores. The store is perfect for decorating rooms in different themes and we have the barn for bigger pieces of furniture.
What inspired you to open a shop in Palmetto? Tell us about your journey.
I always wanted to open a store but knew I couldn’t do it alone. So I work with four other girls who paint furniture and help with the shop. We were school teachers looking for a creative outlet for our painted furniture and gifts. That was four years ago, and we love what we do. We’ve worked hard to create a space that makes people feel good when they walk in the door and makes them want to come back.
Is your business a family affair, a partnership, or a solo venture?
The five of us work together. I couldn’t do it without them or without the help of my family.
Why do you love what you do? What is it about your business that makes you passionate?
We all LOVE to paint furniture. We will paint furniture for customers at the shop, in their homes, or we can change the color of a piece they want to purchase in our store. We enjoy meeting new people and seeing our return customers as well.
And you give back to the community quite a bit too, right?
We are very passionate about education and love to give back to our community by donating gift items to schools for teachers and local charities and auctions.
I love to hear that. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you want us to know?
We also have local small business vendors in our store. We want them to be successful and try to give tricks and tips to help them with their success as well.
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Once Upon a Room is located at:
210 7th Street West, Palmetto
Open Tues. – Sat. 10 am to 4 pm
