Business Spotlight: Found And Forged Market

CEDAR SPRINGS - Found and Forged Market has spent its first year becoming part of the fabric of downtown Cedar Springs, offering a mix of vintage finds, handmade goods, books, records, artwork, and home décor gathered in one welcoming and sprawling space. The store reflects the interests and personality of its owners, while also creating room for vendors and consignors to share their work and build their businesses.

For Christian Cantrell, opening the store was the result of years of experience and a decision to build something new. “I had been doing eBay for almost 20 years,” he said. “A few life changes had come up and my wife and I decided that we wanted to take what I was doing to the next level.” That decision led the couple to open an artisan and vintage vendor mall, and Cedar Springs stood out as the right place to do it. “Cedar Springs made the most sense due to the ability to get a prime retail location in a community with a lot of potential,” he said.

Inside the store, customers will find home décor, specialty craft items, used vinyl records, used books, artwork, and a wide variety of pieces selected by vendors and consignors. Most of the inventory comes from those vendors, whose eye for vintage, unique, and handcrafted items helps shape the store. The owners also bring in items from estate sales and auctions.

Cantrell said the store is rooted in who he and his wife are. “Every store is an extension of who the owner is,” he said. “What makes us different is that it is my wife’s and my personality coming through in the store.” That shows up throughout the shop, from records and books to artwork and even popcorn. “What makes us different is us,” he said.

The first year of business has brought important lessons, especially about relationships. “The biggest being how social this business is, and how important making connections with people is,” he said. “From my vendors and consignors to my customers, everyone is important and wants to feel that.”

One of the most meaningful parts of the first year has been watching vendors grow. “Seeing people go from just having an idea to running a successful business has been exciting,” he said. “That wasn’t my intention with starting this business, but it has been a great thing to see other people’s success while working toward our own.”

Like many business owners, he has also had to learn how to manage time and responsibilities. “The biggest hurdle is finding time to get everything done,” he said. Hiring help in recent months made it easier to organize inventory and focus on other parts of the business. “Realizing that you need help to run this type of business has been the biggest thing I had to work through,” he said.

Looking ahead, the owners want Found and Forged Market to continue contributing to Cedar Springs. “I hope that we can be another part of what it takes to bring more prosperity to the community,” he said. The store gives local people a place to sell items they own or create, and it also brings in visitors who may not yet know what Cedar Springs has to offer.

For Found and Forged Market, the message to the community is simple. “Come in and meet us, and meet the other resale shops in the area too,” he said. “Cedar Springs has a lot to offer.”