If you’ve ever stepped inside Vintage Blessed General Store, you’ve probably noticed it feels like more than just a place to shop. Every shelf, every vintage treasure, and every conversation tells a story.
For owners Ken and Michelle Slavicek, that’s exactly how they hoped it would be.
It All Started at Home
Long before they had a storefront in downtown Columbia City, Ken and Michelle simply loved decorating with vintage treasures and rusty finds.
“Our decorative choice would be vintage items and rusty things,” Ken said. “It started to overflow our house. So we said, ‘Let’s start a business.'”
In 2018, they bought a 1968 camper and transformed it into a mobile boutique, taking Vintage Blessed on the road to First Fridays, county fairs, events across Indiana, and even into Michigan. Eventually, hauling the camper from place to place became more work than they wanted. Instead of setting up once a month, they decided to create a destination of their own. A small shed on their property became Vintage Blessed’s first permanent home.
For three and a half years, the little shop welcomed customers every Saturday while also participating in special events like Shop Small Saturday and Ladies Night Out.
“It was a fun challenge,” Michelle said. “It was great to have it right there on our property because you could literally walk out and walk back in.”
The only downside?
“When you wanted to reset, it was literally emptying it and starting all over again.”
Despite the tiny space, customers kept coming. People who first discovered them at First Fridays, fairs, and community events would make the trip out to their property every Saturday.
“We had a really incredible following,” Michelle said. “We had people that met us from being downtown or at the fairgrounds or wherever it is that they found us, and then just would follow us out there.”
Building a Following Before They Were Downtown
Even before they had a downtown storefront, Ken and Michelle were becoming part of the downtown community. From the beginning, Columbia City Connect gave them opportunities to participate in events like First Fridays, Shop Small Saturday, and Ladies Night Out while they were still operating from their little shop at home. Those opportunities helped introduce Vintage Blessed to new customers and expand their reach.
“To toot a little bit of Columbia City Connect’s horn,” Michelle said, “they have been very pivotal in us and the reach that we got because they gave us opportunities right from the start to participate in things like First Fridays and Shop Small Saturday and Ladies Night Out. Even though we weren’t even downtown.”
Michelle also credits the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce for supporting their journey.
“We had beautiful ribbon cuttings,” she said. “As far as the sources in our community, they have been great.”
Looking back, the couple says the support they received from organizations dedicated to strengthening local businesses helped lay the foundation for where Vintage Blessed is today.
A Door Opened at Just the Right Time
Winter was always one of the biggest challenges. The couple tried expanding into an unheated pole barn, but weather quickly became an obstacle. Then came the conversation that changed everything.
While driving home from Tennessee after a picking trip, they found themselves talking about what the future might hold. The very next day, the owner of an old service station in downtown Columbia City asked if they wanted to buy the building.
“It was definitely a God thing,” Ken said. “The timing was perfect.”
They purchased the building in 2021 and immediately knew they wanted to preserve its character.
“We did not want it to be a cookie-cutter little business,” Michelle explained. “We wanted it to be something very unusual because we knew this store was going to be very unusual in itself.”
The fact that the building had once been a service station felt like the perfect fit. After months of renovations, including adding the now-iconic glass garage door, they prepared to open on February 4, 2022. Then a major snowstorm hit.
“We had to postpone the opening a day because of the snowstorm,” Ken laughed.
The Flannels Customers Keep Coming Back For
One thing customers have come to expect is flannels.
“We’ve always had our flannels,” Michelle said. “We used to source them from another company, but for the last three or three-and-a-half years, Ken has been making them himself.”
Today, you’ll usually find 75 to 100 flannels hanging in the store, each one handcrafted by Ken.
“They look completely different than what our old vendor used to make,” Michelle said. “People know us for our flannels.”
After all, she added with a smile, “Flannels never go out of style.”
A Place Where Stories Are Shared
The merchandise isn’t the only thing with history. The building itself has become part of the experience. Older customers walk in and say, “I used to wash cars in that bay back in high school.” Others explain why the floor slopes toward the center; because that’s how the water drained when it was a working service station.
Then there are the stories sparked by the merchandise.
People reminisce over old-fashioned candy they haven’t seen since childhood.
One day, a group of women from Pennsylvania came in and started talking about our Trash Talk cards. One of them told us she had submitted a photo of her grandmother to the company that makes the cards, and it had been selected. Seeing those cards brought back so many memories that she had one made for every member of her family and gave them as Christmas gifts with their grandma’s photo framed alongside it.
For Ken and Michelle, those conversations are every bit as meaningful as the sale itself.
A Destination Beyond Columbia City
One thing that continues to surprise them is where their customers come from. Today, they estimate nearly half of the people who walk through their doors aren’t from Columbia City. Visitors travel from around Indiana, neighboring states, and even overseas. They’ve welcomed customers from Ireland, Australia, England, Germany, Canada, and across the United States.
Michelle sees that as more than a compliment to their store.
“It’s a really nice testimony to Columbia City,” she said. “People can come here, spend a nice afternoon, visit a lot of businesses, and find some fun goodies.”
Giving Others a Chance
Ken is quick to point out that success isn’t measured in dollars. People often assume owning a downtown business means you’ve made it financially. He laughs at the thought.
“This is not the business for you if you’re trying to make a lot of money.”
Instead, they measure success by opportunity. Opportunity to impact the community. Opportunity to invest in employees. Opportunity to build relationships. Opportunity to encourage the next entrepreneur.
That’s why they never charge new businesses to use their parking lot during First Fridays. Whether it’s someone setting up a trailer or a young entrepreneur selling cookies for the first time, they simply want to give others a chance.
“We just look for those opportunities to help and encourage other entrepreneurs,” Ken said.
Michelle especially loves seeing young people discover what it’s like to own a business.
“It becomes a part of your heart,” she said. “It is a part of your identity.”
One Opportunity Led to Another
Even the little shed where Vintage Blessed first began has found new life. Rather than letting it sit empty, Ken and Michelle transformed it into a glamping Airbnb called Vintage Blessed Tiny Rest. They weren’t sure anyone would stay.
Instead, they’ve hosted hundreds of guests from across the United States and around the world. One couple from Germany was traveling across America deciding where they wanted to live before moving to the United States. Another night, a guest arrived from South Dakota.
Each stay has created another opportunity to build friendships that stretch far beyond Whitley County.
Looking Back
As Vintage Blessed approaches five years in its downtown location, Ken reflects on what they’ve built.
“They always say if you make it five years, you’re successful,” he said with a smile.
For Ken and Michelle, success has never been about the number of sales or the size of the business. It’s about the people they’ve met. The stories they’ve heard. The community they’ve become part of. And the opportunities they’ve been given.
“It all comes down to the opportunity that God gave us,” Ken said. “For this business, this building, Tiny Rest, and all the people that come through. We give all the glory to God.”
Vintage Blessed General Store is located at 127 N Main St., Columbia City, IN
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 11 AM – 4 PM & Sat 9 AM – 3 PM
