Two Turlock women have bonded through their love of “upcycling” – reworking and modernizing old furniture – to open a new downtown business dedicated to selling vintage goods.
Kristina Horn and Jenny Sousa, both of Turlock, recently opened the doors of their new store Rustic Roots, a vintage furniture store that sells both custom-made items as well as pieces that Horn and Sousa have upcycled themselves.
“We have some antiques that have been refinished or re-stained, but we really just took a lot of pieces and made new life out of them and redid them ourselves,” Horn said. “We have some items that are brand new, but they go along with the vintage theme of the store.”
Both Horn and Sousa worked in different Main Street stores until they met half a year ago. The two immediately began to discuss the possibility of opening their own business.
Using the City of Turlock Business Partnership Incentive Program, which gives new business owners $1,000 for startup costs, Horn and Sousa opened Rustic Roots while bringing their passions for upcycling together.
“We both loved the same thing, and we used the incentive program to get our foot in the door,” said Horn. “It was just a really good fit for us. It’s been great to get our doors open, and we’re really hoping for the best.”
While Rustic Roots has a variety of vintage-themed furniture and decor pieces available at the store location, custom work is also available upon request.
“If there is something a customer wants that will fit in their home and with their décor, we can do custom work as well,” Horn said. “We’ve made custom made farmhouse tables, pieces made out of old wood, and all kinds of stuff. If customers want something specific for their house, we’ll refurbish it for them.”
Rustic Roots held its grand opening on Saturday. Since opening, the store has been packed with customers from both Turlock and from out of the area.
“Whatever we’re doing seems to be working,” said Horn.
Rustic Roots is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The store is located at 116 N. Center St. in Downtown Turlock.
