The Heart Behind A Place for the Maker

The heart behind our artist collective

If you’ve ever walked into a Flying Cow store and found yourself drawn to the handmade goods tucked throughout the shelves - the pottery, the textiles, the artwork, the little details that feel personal - you’ve already experienced the heart behind A Place for the Maker.

It’s more than a collection of products. It’s a way of honoring the people behind them.

Long before it had a name, it started as something we kept coming back to again and again: the desire to celebrate makers and their stories in a real, tangible way.

It Started With “Meet the Maker”

In the early days (back in 2017-2018), we started doing weekly “Meet the Maker” features and built our Flying Cow Artist Collective. The goal was simple: introduce people in our community to the artists and small business owners creating beautiful things with their hands.

The more we shared, the more we realized something important. So many people are pouring their hearts into their work, and yet most people never hear their stories.

As Britney, our founder, put it:

“When I think about celebrating people’s stories, that’s my heart. People are pouring their hearts into so many businesses doing so many beautiful things and just nobody knows about them.”

And it wasn’t only about giving artists a space to sell - it was also about helping them believe in what they were doing.

“So many people don’t believe in themselves or they’re afraid to go for it…just connecting with these artists and teaching them how to price their art, reminding them that they are good enough to have their art on our shelves and in retail spaces.”

Because for a lot of makers, this isn’t just a hobby. It’s real life. We wanted other people to see their value, to know them, and to celebrate them together! This small idea quietly opened the door to something bigger. What started as a few local goods in the shop became something deeply relational. Friendships formed. Introductions and conversations happened the old-fashioned way - face to face, building trust over time. There was no rush to fill the shelves, just people meeting people and sharing their dreams. 

Finding the Name

As we began building our Franklin store, we knew we were stepping into an even more creative community - one full of artists, small businesses, and people making meaningful work. It felt like we could fill the new store with all the makers we were meeting. The vision was expanding, and it needed something to hold it.

Our founder describes it like this:

“I was dreaming into the name for the brand…and one day - right in the middle of designing signs for our new downtown Franklin, TN location… it hit me 'A Place For The Maker.'"

The name felt perfect - but also almost too perfect. Britney remembers thinking: 

“That’s probably already taken. That’s such a cool name, somebody probably already owns it.”

But when we checked, it wasn’t taken. So we moved forward, starting the trademarking process and making it official!

Anyone Can Be a Part of It

One of the most special things about A Place for the Maker is that it isn’t exclusive or limited to a certain type of artist. It’s for anyone who’s creating something meaningful. Anybody can be a part of it.

And it isn’t meant to be dependent on Flying Cow either. The dream has always been bigger than what happens inside our four walls. We want you to be able to discover someone in-store, connect with them personally, and keep supporting them long after you leave.

“They can scan, connect, shop and follow people online. And yes, they can purchase here at our store, but then they can go back home 1000 miles away and still support these makers…We’re not really necessary for these artists’ dreams to flourish”

A Different Kind of Artist Collective

If you’ve ever assumed our maker section works like a traditional vendor market or “rent a shelf” setup, you’re not alone. But that’s never been the heart behind it. Instead, our goal is to build a relationship with the maker and support them in a way that feels sustainable and encouraging.

“We want to connect with the maker, give them a budget, help them create something for our shelves, and then we just buy it all outright.”

It’s a model that keeps things simple, supportive, and honest - and it lets us keep the focus on what matters most: the work, the story, and the person behind it. We hope this is helpful to these makers so they aren’t waiting on sales or taking a major financial risk putting their products in a retail space. That means the artist isn’t waiting on sales or taking a financial risk to get their products into a retail space.

Looking Ahead

Even though we have an application online, A Place for the Maker has grown the way most good things do: slowly, relationally, and through real connection.

“It’s happened organically the last 10 years through friendships and meeting people, just the old fashioned way. Recently we’ve had a lot of people interested in having their stuff on shelves that have come by — like a lot, a lot.”

And honestly…the interest has been overwhelming in the best way.

As Flying Cow continues to grow, A Place for the Maker is growing right alongside it.

Our founder’s dream is to one day have someone fully dedicated to leading this part of the business — someone who can keep building relationships, connecting with artists, and helping the vision expand.

“My dream is to have someone that manages that brand and can connect with makers as it’s growing…If we expand our retail space… and we one day can’t make tallow out of here… we would fill both sides with handcrafted goods.”

Because the heart behind this will always stay the same: We believe creativity deserves room to breathe. We believe stories matter. And we know handmade things carry meaning and needs a place to be seen. 

This is, and always will be, A Place for the Maker.

If you’ve discovered a maker through Flying Cow, we’d love for you to share their name, tag them, and support them beyond the shelves. And if you’re a maker yourself, we’d love to meet you too. Because this isn’t just a section of the store. It’s a community we’re building — one story at a time.

To celebrate near & far for our grand opening in a few weeks - we're doing ANOTHER giveaway!

We’d love to hear from you. Comment below with a favorite artist, maker, or small business you love. Or, simply share what this story stirred in you. One commenter will be randomly selected to receive a $250 goodie basket!