Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Dehart.
Hi Debbie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
The owner is Debbie Dehart. Responses were provided by the daughter/partner, Lindsay Russell.
Rugged Renewal opened its doors in May of 2017. Before that, we were in a boot at a local country antique mall for a year or so. This business was born from a lifelong passion and love of everything antique, storied, or unique. The owner, Debbie Dehart, has been collecting antiques and refinished her first dresser when she was just a child. She has always had an incredible vision of what immense possibilities may lie under what most may see as an impossible exterior. She can bring a room to life through rich colors, warm fabrics, and inviting arrangements. All of our customers comment on the incredible warmth and hominess they sense when they enter our old 1930s Esso station that has been transformed into a lovely little country antique store.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Owning a small business is always challenging, especially in an era of a pandemic. The road has not always been smooth, and our trade has been complex because our product can not be ordered. We have to go “picking,” as we say, find our unique pieces, repair, refinish, refresh them to their new glory, and then stage them so our customers can see their potential. This is incredibly time-consuming, leading to our unique store hours of only being open on Saturdays each week.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Her incredible attention to detail sets the owner, Debbie Dehart, apart from others. She is relentless in her quest to constantly change and perfect her store so that her customers experience something new each time they visit. She brings that same focus into her relationships with her customers. You can only come in and out of our store with a warm greeting and conversation about what got you there and how she can help you find the perfect piece you desire.
Can you talk to us about the role of luck?
We’d love to use the word faith over luck. Our business has been a leap of faith from the beginning, and the difficult seasons we have gone through have been overcome through our faith. The Lord has blessed our little shop and the customers that come through it. It is so much more than a store. It is a place of friendship, fellowship, prayer, and laughter.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rugged_renewal
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ruggedrenewal
