08/26/2026
Well, it’s official. Our beautiful building is officially on the market.
This has been a long time coming, and I know in my heart that my chapter as a business owner has come to an end, but knowing that doesn’t make letting go any easier.
I worked really reallyyyy hard to build this business into what it became. Not just during the time I had this building, but for many years before that. There were so many late nights, early mornings, long drives to markets and pop-ups, unpacking and repacking boxes, setting up displays, taking pictures, posting to socials, answering messages and doing everything I could to get my name out there.
And my family has been such a huge part of l of it allntoo. I truly couldn’t have done any of this without them.
My mom and dad supported me through every crazy idea, every move, every event and every chapter. There were so many nights I would text my husband, “I’ll be home soon” or “I’m almost done,” and then somehow I wouldn’t actually make it home for hours… (sorry babe). He has probably heard “I just need you to help me with one thing” more times than he ever wanted to OR would offer to help when I told him I could do it all myself. When he walked into my life, he never let me feel alone in any of this. He has helped me move things, set things up and tear them down, visit me at events or at the store, fix things, carry (really heavy) things and do so much that he never signed up for while I chased this dream. It truly became OUR dream.
Some of the most difficult and greatest moments of my life happened throughout all of this.
I opened my first storefront in East Moline back in 2020. I couldn’t have been happier after opening those doors until about two weeks later when we lost my brother. My world stopped. I couldn’t run a business, I could barely put one foot in front of the other. I’m so thankful that some of my dearest friends and fellow boutique owners stepped in and helped keep things going when I couldn’t. I will never forget that, and those friendships will always be one of the greatest things this business gave me.
Then came this building. It was something I could’ve only dreamed about. Working with the Lambins and having them trust me with a building that had been such a big part of their lives for so long meant more to me than I could ever really put into words. And having them come in afterward and compliment us on what we had done with it meant the world to me.
When we bought it, we definitely had our work cut out for us. Foundation issues, black dust and so many things we didn’t even realize we were going to run into. It took so many people to transform this building into what it is.
Adam DeSplinter and Cody Durbin… I cannot say enough about these two. They saw my vision, ran with it and made it look better than I could’ve ever imagined. They put so much work into this place, and I will always be so thankful they helped bring my crazy ideas to life.
And then when we finally opened the doors I had just gotten married a few weeks before, and so much of my life has happened inside these walls since then…
It’s where I took the pregnancy test that told me I was pregnant with my little man. It’s where Evan spent most of the first several months of his life. My dogs came with me every day, too, and honestly, there were people who would come in just to see them. They sure do miss all of you! 🥺
Liliana would also stop by after school with her friends to hang out, and that was always so special to me.
This place has been my second home and a place where so many memories were made that have absolutely nothing to do with running a boutique. Gathering for parades, holiday karaoke parties, a quiet place to go when I needed it, and so many little moments in between and It has brought some of the most incredible people into my life.
This really isn’t just me selling a building. It’s saying goodbye to a really big part of my life. And that’s what makes this so hard.
I will always be incredibly proud of what I built, but if I’m being completely honest, the thought of doing it all again exhausts me LOL. Not because I didn’t love it, but I’m older now and there are other things that are just more important: being a mom, being a wife, living this life God has blessed me with and creating something special with Red Barn Harvest Fest.
So yeah… the building is for sale. But I will still own the building through at least October, and I want to reassure anyone who has a reservation with us, that all currently booked reservations will go on exactly as planned!! NOTHING is changing for those events!
One more Witches Night Out.. one more State Street Market.
I’m not gonna lie, though, there’s still a little hope left inside me that someone might reach out before we sell wanting to rent it. Each and every day, though, I become more at peace with the fact that this may be the end of the road for our building ownership.
I’ve gone on for too long.. if anyone is still even with me LOL. And there’s so much more I could say. But lastly, and most importantly, I want to say thank you. If you’ve ever supported The Red Barn in any way, shopped with me, came to an event, booked the space, shared a post, told a friend about us, bought something from me at a market, loved on my doggies or simply just cheered me on… THANK YOU! You made a cognitive decision to support a small business whether you bought something or not and that’s something I’ll never forget.
So for now, this beauty is still mine, and I’m going to enjoy every last minute I have left with her ☺️
❤️Ashley
