Meet Katie Reuther

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katie Reuther. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Katie, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a very optimistic person. It’s probably one of my most noticeable qualities. It’s hard to tell if it was nature or nuturing that brought this quality out of me, but I believe it has developed over time. I truly believe in ability to manifest our dreams and desires through positive talk and thought. Whenever I have been faced with a challenge, I immediatly begin thinking of solutions. I am an incredibly determined person, and never give up. Sometimes my determination can be a tad difficult for others to deal with, but I also think it is one of my strongest qualities and I am passionate about advocating for others to have a voice. My Faith has been the backbone of everything that I do, and I believe God has a given every one of us a purpose and the free will to follow our passions and help others along the way.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I own a Boutique in Old Town St. Peters, MO called the Whistle Stop 301. The building was originally built in 1870, and was the first Apothecary, West of the Mississippi. The history of the building is beyond measure. In 2019, it was foreclosed on and boarded up. It had been abandoned for nearly a decade and was in terrible shape. Nearly every single friend and family member thought I was crazy to tackle such a daunting project, but I was very determined and had a vision that I just couldn’t give up! We had originally planned to open in April 2020, but the worldwide pandemic put that on hold and almost squashed the dream. However, I never lost the passion for the dream, so we kept going. We opened in October 2020 and started with less than 20 vendors. In July of 2022, I almost lost the dream again when the store flooded and created a significant setback. For too many reasons to mention, we were closed for 4 months. I had to fight hard to keep the dream alive that time, and almost was forced to give up. However, by the grace of God and support of my family, I was able to re-open in November 2022! Now, I am proud to say that we have nearly 50 local artists/makers/vendors in store, as well as several well known national product brands. We also host an array of DIY Classes from Introduction to Stained glass, Sourdough starters, Cookie decorating, etc. My proudest achievement is our monthly “Twilight Markets on Main,” the second Saturday of each month from April-November. These events are intended to bring our community together to support local artists and bring New Life to Old Town. They are very family friendly and are intended as a destination to spend your day with Live Music, Yoga, Food & Drink specials, and dozens of local artists and vendors to shop from. There is also a barn that is over 150 years old, and will be the next exciting renovation…stay tuned! And one last exciting announcement is that I am proud to partner with local clean beauty experts, Esther & Mila to host a Clean Beauty, Health and Wellness Twilight Market at the City Foundry STL on October 4, from 4-10 pm! Come on out to shop, party and support all things local!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Determination- If you have a vision, stay strong to preserve it. Obstacles are guaranteed, so be prepared to be challenged, but stay true to YOUR vision.

Passion- The old saying goes, “if you do what you’re passionate about, you’ll never work a day in your life”. I absolutely believe this!

Kindness- I have found that being kind to others is that most powerful thing we can do. Kindness spreads. Whether it’s immediate or 5 years down the road, I believe if you sow the seeds of kindness into others, they will give it back and/or share it with others. I believe firmly in Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “BE the change you want to see in the world.” In our own personal worlds, we can Be the change that we want and spread the Love to our circle and beyond

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Whistle Stop 301 is all about collaboration! I’m very invested in this community and collaborating with as many people and businesses as possible. As Individuals, we each have our own strengths, so when you collaborate with others, we can create a powerful movement! Currently, I have almost 50 local vendors in store, from apparel, jewelry, candles, plants, home decor, etc. During the Twilight Markets on Main, we collaborate with dozens more, including Food trucks and musicians! I’m most excited about our new DIY Class space upstairs and look forward to hosting many more classes of all varieties! If you’re interested in collaboration with us as well, please check our website at www.whistlestop301.com for details on how to apply!

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