Taking something old and making it new again. That was part of the inspiration for Modern Barnyard, the Home Decor, Gifts, and More shop in St. Cloud. When they opened in 2017, they wanted to find old, antique treasures and combine them with new, fresh elements of decor. Their ultimate goal was to have something for everyone, and worked to take real-wood furniture and home decor and mix it with vintage finds and handmade products.
“When we started out, we found that even though there are a few antique and repurposed stores in town, none of them did it all. We do! We take real wood furniture and mix it with quality repurposed furniture and add in new home decor and vintage finds for decorating any room in your home or cabin. We also added gourmet food and everyday giftware to the store so anyone who stops in can find something for them or a gift. We finish it with a mix of local vendors who bring in handmade lotions, metal art, clothing, antique & vintage finds, and lots of other cool finds,” shared owner Jim Beck.
When Jim started, he and his partner John had other jobs. They’ve since left their jobs and focus on Modern Barnyard full-time. “This is our retirement business, and we take pride in being hands-on,” explained Jim. “We love working with our Greater St. Cloud community, we partner with many local businesses to do shop hops and events to drive business to central Minnesota.”
Those of us in the community know the County Road 75 bridge was closed last year for 8 months to work on construction and replacement of the bridge. That path was a main access point for Modern Barnyard and was a challenge for their business. “It really could have put us out of business. Sales were almost nonexistent for most of the time. We were very lucky to have a strong local customer base that supported us the best they could, with a challenge to find the store. We had other businesses reach out to us during the bridge closure to show support and ask how they could help, it meant the world to us.”
Despite the construction challenges, Modern Barnyard completed an expansion in 2023, doubling its space from 6,000 to more than 12,000 square feet!
The patrons of Modern Barnyard continue to energize Jim and John; they’re a source of inspiration and passion for continuing what they do. “I actually love getting pictures from customers and seeing their Facebook posts about the furniture and home decor they get from Modern Barnyard. Seeing how our hard work and dedication have made customers happy with the products they have added to their homes is so rewarding. We love (and appreciate!) when they come back to the store over and over and bring friends and out-of-town guests to experience the store.
Their community - both loyal customers and being involved in the community - is incredibly important to Jim and John. “We joined the local Chamber before we even opened our doors so we could make connections with local businesses and charities. We like to give back to the community for supporting us. We do sponsorships and fundraising for groups such as Anna Marie's Alliance, American Cancer Society, INDY Foundation, Holly Ball, Humane Society, Grey Face Rescue, and countless others. Our store is for our community, so we would like to give back to it, too.”
And if you’re not in the market for new home decor and more, consider Modern Barnyard when you’re getting rid of furniture. “We’re so grateful when someone lets us know they’re ready to part with good, quality furniture; it’s a great opportunity for us to repurpose it and make something new again that someone else might love.”
“The best way for the community to help support us is to come to the store so we can show you all the amazing things we have to offer. We’re thrilled when others recommend our shop to their friends and family so they know about us, too. Social media is fantastic, too - we always appreciate those who follow and share.”
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