An interview with Cactus Creek's Fancy Smith

I've talked about Cactus Creek a couple times now on the blog. It's a cute shop in Weston Missouri that I could literally spend hours and buckets of cash in. A few weeks ago, Fancy called me up and asked if I would be willing to shoot some photos for herself at the shop and the Junk Mafia crew.

I said, "duh!"

Then I got to thinking what fun it would be for you to learn more about Cactus Creek and Junk Mafia, so I did a little interview with Fancy.

What is Cactus Creek?

Cactus Creek is first and foremost a retail store. Cactus Creek first opened ten years ago in Lenexa, Kansas and has had several locations, but our current location on Main Street in Weston, Missouri is the best yet!! We offer customers in our store a unique assortment of Rustic, Western & Vintage furniture, home accessories, art, antiques, jewelry & gifts.

Cactus Creek is also a website & blog where we offer readers pictures and stories about the people we meet, and things we see, owning our shop. http://www.cactuscreekdaily.com/ is where people can keep up with us & our other friends in the Rustic * Western * Vintage market.


Where did the name “Cactus Creek” come from?

When my husband and I decided to open the store we knew that it needed a good name, so we started talking and brainstorming one night… it was a conversation that lasted many hours till the wee hours of the morning. Cactus Creek was not the first name we chose. Our first name was rejected by everyone we knew and Cactus Creek was number two on the list. We were too tired of talking about it to start over again so we went with it. Turns out Cactus Creek was the perfect name.

What kind of things will you find at your shop?

We have a line of rustic furniture that is made in Mexico. We’ve worked with the same craftsmen for over seven years and love to do special orders on everything from dining tables to barstools to new bedroom suites

We also have a ton of antiques ~ old Western memorabilia, folk art and classic vintage Americana objects. We believe that the one of a kind vintage accessories & furniture are the perfect items to make a home interesting and personal. The goal of a home is for it to be full of the things you love, old or new.

Cactus Creek also offers cowhides, jewelry, chips & salsa, t-shirts, original art and southwest rugs.


How did you get into this business?

I’ve worked in one retail business or another since I was 16. In college I was a part of the Center for Retail Studies at Texas A&M University. The only thing I know how to do is own and run a retail store… and, even though it can be a roller coaster ride, I love every day of it.

What is your favorite thing in your shop right now?

We just received a large shipment of Western & Americana antiques so my favorites list is rather long… I really love our big signs… we also have a lot of primitive painted furniture which is great to mix with rustic pine & iron furniture… My absolute favorite right now is an original painting of a cactus landscape ~ I’m pretty sure it’s coming home with me.



What is your favorite thing you’ve ever sold in Cactus Creek?

I can’t think of one thing that is my favorite I’ve ever sold, but I can tell you that the one thing I do LOVE to sell is cowhides. I’ve probably sold almost 300 hides but every one is absolutely different from all the others. They are such a great investment, look terrific in every house, feel luxurious to step onto, and make a big statement no matter what your décor looks like.

Is there anything else you’d like to let everyone know?

My newest adventure outside of Cactus Creek is partnering with John Todd and Darren Smith from the Junk in my Trunk Radio Show to form a new movement & website called JunkMafiaFamily.com. Our goal is to encourage people to commit to taking everyday ACTIONS to Re-Cycle, Re-LOVE™, Re-Deem, and Re-Spend. By becoming a part of the movement & taking these ACTIONS we believe that individuals’ lives will benefit, families will benefit, in turn communities will benefit, and then our global community becomes a better place to live. Stay tuned for more about http://www.junkmafiafamily.com/ coming soon!!

Thank you Fancy for playing along with Mz-Cellaneous. I thought it was a kind of a fun way to share some photography with my readers!

I'm doing commercial type work as well as weddings so if you need headshots that are a little different than just head and shoulders, or if you'd like to feature your business in some way, let me know! We'll also do product shots for your web presence or catalog if you need them!