Today we’d like to introduce you to Spruce Home.
Hi Spruce Home, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Spruce Home is a charming home decor and gift shop located in the heart of old Leawood. What started as a creative collaboration between four women back in 2015 quickly transformed into a thriving local boutique. After volunteering together on various projects during their kids’ time at Corinth Elementary School, the friends discovered a shared passion for home decor and design, along with a love for serving their community. Prior to completing their business plan, they attended a small business seminar at Johnson County Community College, consulted with several other local boutique owners and scouted out retail space that fit their vision. After agreeing on a location in their shared neighborhood of old Leawood, the partners opened Spruce Home in November 2015, just in time for the holidays. Navigating through quite a bit of on-the-job training during their first weeks of the busiest retail season, they learned quickly, settling into roles that complimented each others’ individual strengths. They filled the small, 800 square foot space with home furnishings and finishings purchased at a national wholesale market, along with several offerings from local vendors, including Pickwick and MerSea. In addition, the owners decided to feature jewelry and artwork created by local artists, and those artists became and remain some of the shop’s most popular vendors. Grassroots marketing efforts on social media, word of mouth, and personalized gift wrap featuring a bounce-back gift tag helped Spruce develop an ever growing customer base. With the four original owners and five part-time employees on board, Spruce Home just celebrated its tenth anniversary in Novermber 2025!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like many businesses, the most notable obstacle Spruce Home faced was navigating the Covid pandemic. During peak outbreaks in the spring and summer months of 2020, the owners chose to close the shop twice. Thanks to a loyal customer base, however, they were able to generate sales by organizing contact-free pick-ups and deliveries. These sales primarily featured Pickwick candles, which customers appreciated as most were sheltering at home. Since that time, Spruce has continued to work though various retail challenges, including shipping delays on products and significant price increases and tariffs issued by several vendors. Despite these hurdles, Spruce continues to thrive, thanks to their ability to adapt and the unwavering support of their local community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Retail Home Decor & Gift Store
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Spruce Home is owned and operated by four women, Christy Higgins, Kristi O’Keefe, Leslie Slaughter and Christie Walton. (yes, three Christys with varied spellings;).
We have a shop dog, a beagle named Cheddar (he replaced our original shop dog, a beagle named Rico who we lost in 2022)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Sprucehomekc
- Facebook: @Sprucehomekc
