Hello all!

I want to introduce you to Red Barn Mercantile’s newest neighbor: Connect113! 

Connect113 has opened up right downstairs in Video Vault’s old space at 113 South Columbus.  They are a unique and very of-the-moment business called Coworking.  Connect113 offers full office needs for anyone who works from home. 

I’m going to let them do the talking…

Coworking is not a desk rental business. It’s not about printers or about conference rooms. Coworking is about people. A coworking space brings together independent professionals and allows them to work alongside one another, creating an energetic and productive community.

Connect113 is designed to provide you with all the resources you need to get things done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including internet access, printers, conference rooms, mail delivery, an office administrator, kitchen cafe, even a shower.   But, tt’s more than office space, it’s a community of fellow workers and resources that can provide a pleasant alternative to the home office or coffee shop.

Here is what you get: 

• Staffed from 8 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday
• Onsite Notary
• 24/7 Access
• Send and Receive Mail
• Building Directory Placement
• Web Listing
• Copy, print, scan b&w, color/fax
• HD TV and Monitor
• Brown Bag Lunches
• Mobile White Boards
• Office Supplies Available
• Periodicals and Newspapers
• Corporate partner discounts with ZipCar, Staples, local restaurants, gyms, and a wine shop.

If your living room just won’t do as a conference room then stop by for an hour or two and use theirs.  If you are tired of working solo – be it at a coffee shop or home – and want to bounce ideas off of people this is the place for you.  If you need to work in the middle of the night and can’t do it at home and the coffee shop is closed then Connect113 is the place to go.

I hope you will stop by and take advantage of this great new wave of office space leasing!

Take care,

Amy

Hello all!

I know all the Hollywood folks say this when they are nominated for an award, but it’s true!  We are so excited to be nominated as one of the top Indie Home Decor Stores as nominated by the Washington Post Express’s readers.  It’s really a thrill for us to even be recognized especially with only two years under our belts.

The nominations are out and it’s time to start voting for your favorite Indie Home Decor Store and 99 other categories.  We would be so grateful if you would take a minute (or two every day, as you can vote as often as you like) to vote for Red Barn Mercantile.

To cast your vote:

1. Go to the Express Best Of DC ballot
2. Select “Stores & Styles“
3. Look for Red Barn Mercantile in the “Indie Home Décor Store” category.

While you are voting for us, consider some of your other favorite stores.  There are a total of 10 Old Town Boutique District stores in several categories and my good friend’s store, Le Village Marche, is in the Gift Store category.  I hope you will consider voting for them as well.

Thanks for all your votes and continued support for Red Barn Mercantile.  Keep your fingers crossed!

May the best store win…

Amy

JOIN RED BARN MERCANTILE ON OCTOBER 10 FLEA MARKET EXCURSION

Flea for All tours are back! Join the staff of Red Barn Mercantile on a one-day excursion to the Shenandoah Antique Expo in Fishersville, Virginia.

• When: Saturday, October 10. Departing 7 a.m. and?returning at approximately?5 p.m.
• Where: Tour bus will depart from and return to Red Barn Mercantile, 113 S. Columbus St., Alexandria.
• Price: $125

Reservations for the trip must be made by September 26. Make your reservation today!

The package includes transportation (for you and your treasures), admission to the event, a flea market survival kit and a morning snack.

A minimum of 14 participants are required for the trip. If the minimum number does not sign up, the trip will be canceled.

There will be no rain checks. The trip will go on rain or shine.

Customers will be able to wander the flea markets on their own or tag along with Red Barn Mercantile staff. Loaders will also be on hand to help shoppers with their purchases.

The buses we will be using can carry several pieces of luggage and will have some overhead storage for small purchases. Limited truck space will also be available.

Hello all!

We are so excited about this weekend!? This weekend, June 26, 27 & 28, the Old Town Boutique District is having a Summer Shopping Stroll.? Each of the 21 participating stores is gearing up for a festive weekend.? Each of us will be decked out in summer fun-ness and giving away gifts with purchase, having special events, offering discounts or a combination of the three.?

I hope you will join us this weekend.? We will be doing free in-store design consultations, so bring your swatches, pictures and measurements and we will bring on the advice.? Plus, we are still having our big lighting sale – not much left on the floor, but plenty can be special ordered!? If that weren’t enough fun, there will be free gifts with any purchase of $50 or more.? Visit www.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com to see what everyone else is doing!

So come one, come all, to Old Town this weekend for a Summer Stroll…

Looking forward to seeing you!? Amy

EVERY LAMP AND SHADE ON SALE AT RED BARN MERCANTILE

ALEXANDRIA, VA ? Visit Red Barn Mercantile June 13-28 for 25 percent to 75 percent discounts on every lamp and shade in the store. If you?ve been searching for that special lamp to light your summer evening, then visit our store for great designs at terrific prices.

?When the sun sets, the classiest room in the world is nothing without the right lighting. Too much or too little light, the right tone of the shade, the right shape of the base, the distribution of light from standing floor lamps to petite table lamps all have to come together to set the proper mood,? said Red Barn Mercantile owner Amy Rutherford. ?We have a great assortment of lamps and shades that can help you light just about any room in your home, from bedroom to living room, family room to dining room.?

Red Barn Mercantile features lamps and shades from Jamie Young, Thomas O?Brien and Visual Comfort. All lamps and shades in the store are marked down from 25 percent to 75 percent off; special orders will also be discounted 25 percent.

Red Barn Mercantile would also like to announce its new summer hours. We?re staying open late on Thursdays and opening earlier on Saturdays to help Old Town shoppers take advantage of the long summer days. Our new store hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Red Barn Mercantile is an independently owned and operated home furnishing and gift store that provides a one-of-a-kind mix of new and old. By combining rustic antiques, conversation pieces and newly manufactured items, Red Barn Mercantile offers a whole-room approach to home d?cor. The store is also a member of the Old Town Boutique District, a grassroots co-operative of small businesses working together to make Old Town a vibrant shopping destination.

SEE THE LATEST BEDDING STYLES FROM 2 P.M. TO 5 P.M. APRIL 25

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Visit Red Barn Mercantile April 25 to see the latest bedding styles from Serena & Lily. Our designers and a Serena & Lily representative will be on hand to discuss creating the perfect sleep space for you or your little ones.

“Bring your swatches and paint samples because this will be your chance to see a wide variety of Serena & Lily bedding, from crib sets to king size,” said Amy Rutherford, owner of Red Barn Mercantile.

The show will run from 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at 113 S. Columbus St. in Old Town Alexandria. Treats and beverages will also be served.

“I really enjoy the Serena & Lily product and I think my customers will to,” Rutherford said. “I also feel like we are sort of kindred spirits. I mean, here are two moms who had a vision of beauty and charm that no one else in the market recognized. They are always evolving, but also stay true to their core values and style-driven character.”

Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter released their first bedding collection in 2004 and turned the nursery industry upside down. Their bedding and crib sets are fresh and dynamic with color and pattern combinations that are sophisticated in their simplicity, timeless and comfortable.

Red Barn Mercantile is an independently owned and operated home furnishing and gift store that provides a one-of-a-kind mix of new and old. By combining rustic antiques, conversation pieces and newly manufactured items, Red Barn Mercantile offers a whole-room approach to home d?cor. The store is also a member of the Old Town Boutique District, a grassroots co-operative of small businesses working together to make Old Town a vibrant shopping destination.

Store hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit RedBarnMercantile.com.

Celebrate spring with big savings from Red Barn Mercantile:

• In stock and special-order Frances Palmer dishes and serving pieces 25% off.
• Thousand Flowers votives 25% off.
  
• Glass keepsake boxes and reclaimed Laville boxes, all 25% off.
• Elizabeth Allen baby and adult bedding, 50% off.
• All jewelry 75% off.
  
• Jamie Young seeded glass hurricanes 75% off.
  
• And much more …

If you haven’t been in the store for a while you haven’t seen our new Spring merchandise, including our full line of Dash & Albert rugs, fun gardening gloves and aprons, new scented candles from k hall and pillows from Thomas Paul.

Hello All!

We made the Spring Wedding Edition of the DC Daily Candy!? Actually, Made By One Girl photo albums made the cut, but we are smart enough to carry these beautiful creations.

Made By One Girl photo books are handmade by Lisa Norris in Chattanooga, TN.? They are truly wonderful.? Each is individually crafted using vintage paper including French wallpaper and old road maps.? Some are adorned with little extras to make each book entirely your own.

These are perfect for holding all your memories whether it’s a family vacation bound between the pages of an old road map or the day you start a life with that special someone held tightly together in the accordian pages of the Jessica album.? You can get your one-of-a-kind book at our store right now.?

We have several on the floor and are getting paper samples so that you can custom make your very own book.? Those should be in the store soon.? Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or check back here to be notified of their arrival.

On another note, I wanted to tell you about our next event…? On April 25 from 2:00 to 5:00 we will be having a Serena and Lily trunk show!? Join us for snacks and peruse some of the latest bedding designs from Serena & Lily.? Preston, Emily (the newest member of the Red Barn family), a representative from Serena & Lily, and myself will all be available to help you design a bedroom for the newest member of your family, for their older sibling or for you.? From crib to king, Serena & Lily has something fantastic for you!

Hope to see you all soon!? Amy

We were featured in this piece by Channel 8 last night. Check it out to learn about your chance to win a $100 gift card…

RED BARN MERCANTILE AND RED ROOSTER DESIGNS LAUNCH FLEA MARKET TOURS

UPDATED 4/22/2009

Red Barn Mercantile?is?now offering guided tours to flea markets in Virginia and surrounding areas. The Flea for All tours will include transportation, admission to the events, a flea market survival kit and a morning snack.

?I?m often asked where I find all the great antiques and accessories in Red Barn Mercantile,? said store owner Amy Rutherford. ?Quite simply, we scour local and far flung flea markets and sales. For me, it?s one of the best parts of the job. I get to hunt for great deals, meet fun people and spend the day outdoors.?

Red Barn Mercantile is teaming up with Red Rooster Designs (formerly known as Why the Rooster Crows) for two Flea for All trips. Sign Up today for:

Shenandoah Antique Show, Fishersville, Virginia

• When: Saturday, May 2. Departing 7 a.m.
• Where: Tour bus will depart from and return to Red Barn Mercantile, 113 S. Columbus St., Alexandria.
• Price: $125

Lucketts Spring Antique Market, Lucketts, Virginia

• When: Sunday, May 31. Departing 9 a.m.
• Where: Tour bus will depart from and return to Red Barn Mercantile, 113 S. Columbus St., Alexandria.
• Price: $95 $75

Customers can register for the Shenandoah Antique Show or Lucketts Spring Antique Market Flea for Alls online. Reservations for the trips must be made at least two weeks prior to the tour dates. A minimum of 14 participants are required for each event. If the minimum number does not sign up, the trip will be canceled.

There will be no rain checks. The trips will go forward rain or shine.

Customers will be able to wander the flea markets on their own or tag along with Red Barn Mercantile staff. Loaders will also be on hand to help shoppers with their purchases.

The buses we will be using can carry several pieces of luggage and will have some overhead storage for small purchases. Limited trailer space will also be available.

?We?re really excited about these trips and hope they become a tradition,? Rutherford said.