Episode 168 // Tim and Morgann Boettner of A Well Worn Story
Today we’re taking you to the charming little town of New Glarus, Wisconsin (pop. 2,208) where craftsmanship, community, and a whole lot of heart come together. I’m sitting down with Tim and Morgann Boettner of A Well Worn Story, a husband and wife team with a business that’s all about high-quality, handcrafted leather and canvas goods. What started with just $5,000 and some spare time has grown into something truly special —— a blend of online hustle and a brick-and-mortar storefront where they make everything by hand.
In this episode, we’re diving into their journey: how they expanded from an online shop to opening a storefront with a workshop in the back, the way they’ve curated a space that’s as beautiful as their products, and why balancing online and in-store sales has been a winning combo for them.
We’ll talk about their new private-label collaborations with other small businesses, how customer feedback sparked fresh ideas for their product line, and why they’re so passionate about the slow fashion movement —— because quality matters.
Tim and Morgann are also sharing the keys to their longevity in business, how they’ve teamed up as husband and wife to make it all work, and what’s changed in New Glarus since we last caught up.
From their love for historic buildings to the wild adventure of entrepreneurship, they’re keeping it real ——staying true to their brand, their values, and their faith.
Their story is a testament to the power of quality, adaptability, and staying true to who you are, all while building something that lasts in a world that’s always changing!
Listen right here or on these platforms:
“I think constantly growing in little ways, constantly adapting, staying true to who you are, staying true to your business and your values and your product and your vision for your business, staying true to that is key. But growing in that and being able to adapt to whatever circumstances God throws at you, I think that’s one of the biggest things (to longevity).”
- Tim Boettner
“Covid was actually a blessing for us, because I was already online and I had this online presence. So I didn’t see any dip in sales, I think I actually saw an increase in 2020. So that gave me the confidence going into 2021 that we do just have great online clients that keep buying from us, so having that client base of return customers, I knew we could take the risk on the store.”
- Morgann Boettner
“A lot of our product inspiration comes from antique pieces that were built to last.”
- Morgann Boettner
“We have a lot of ideas but the values behind the business don’t change. There’s been a lot of different expressions of the business over the years and I think one of our strong suits is that we don’t really pigeon hole ourselves into one way of doing business. The values don’t change behind the business, but we’re open to what it looks like depending on what season of life we’re in, so we’ll see.”
- Morgann Boettner
“We had a lot of shared values as far as working with our hands, so the fact that he wanted to do the storefront, I was like, I like that, this guy’s got a vision. And wood and leather go together so well, so we eventually combined the two. We focus mostly on leather but his woodworking skills have come in handy a lot in the store displays and things like that.”
- Morgann Boettner
“One of the most important things to us in this business is our clients who are sharing in this story with us.”
- Tim Boettner
“We’re always trying to bring something new and fresh. We listen to our customers and what they want, but we also stay true to who we are and our brand.”
- Tim Boettner
PODCAST SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:
New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus Brewing
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