Peoria sisters continue to grow their businesses
Flecks of light bounce off disco balls inside of Indie Gift House as the afternoon sunlight streams in through large garage windows. A center table is filled with seasonal décor, and greenery fills the storefront windows. On the shelves, a variety of gift items sit organized by color.
The new Keller Station storefront is nearly twice as large as Indie Gift House's original space, according to sisters and co-owners Megan Ray and Erin Ray. Before moving, the sisters said they had to reorganize the old storefront multiple times.
“Now, we can actually let all the products shine and have their own little spot,” Megan said. “I was joking – I'm like, this is where Indie was always meant to be.”
'All of our favorite things'
Customers at the shop can find a variety of trinkets and gift items, including plants, home décor, candles, blankets, jewelry and more. Megan described the business as a place where customers can “treat yourself and others.”
The sisters said they work to offer products which are not typically found in Peoria. Along with this, many of the items found at Indie Gift House come from businesses that Erin and Megan know and love.
“We wanted this to be a place of all of our favorite things,” Erin said. And though the shop features a variety of brands, Megan and Erin said they work to offer a certain consistency for customers.
“I want somebody to walk in and be able to grab five items for a gift and it all looks very put together – no matter what you grab,” Megan said.
Located in 'the heart of Peoria'
Right next door, the sisters have also settled into a new warehouse space for their first business – Hello Headband. The shop sells fabric-based headbands, hair clips, scrub hats and more. While the business's Keller Station space does not have its own storefront, customers can find Hello Headband products inside Indie Gift House.
For Megan and Erin, the new spaces mark their third move within Keller Station. The sisters settled into a warehouse space for Hello Headband in 2020, just ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2021, the sisters expanded to the unit directly across from [CxT] Roasting Company and launched Indie Gift House.
“Fast forward another year, Indie grew exponentially. It got very big. It outgrew its space very quickly, as well as Hello Headband again,” Megan said. “So that's when we knew we had to make another move.”
Erin said she and Megan both enjoy being located at Keller Station, so when the sisters learned of the new storefronts, Megan said they decided to “seize the moment.” With where the shopping center is situated, Megan said it feels as though their businesses are in “the heart of Peoria.”
Now settled into what they hope will be their permanent home, Megan said “everything feels right.”
Hello Headband recently launched scrub hats as a new product, and Indie Gift House has begun to introduce its own products – such as blankets, onesies and more. Moving forward, the sisters said they want to continue to expand upon their new Indie brand.
“I know – for us – we never stop,” Megan said. Next to her, Erin chimed in. “So, we could always have something else up our sleeves.”