Homebody Home Decor offers handcrafted items

Sometimes, the setbacks in life turn out to be opportunities for far greater things. When Michelle Moyers lost her job in 2011, rather than find another one, she decided to go into business for herself, making handcrafted signs.
“I just decided that I was tired of working for someone else,” she said. “I’d owned a photography business before and an antique store in Kansas. Subway art was just starting, and so we kind of got in on that, and I just taught myself how to do everything.”
By deciding to become self-employed, Moyers started down a road which eventually led her to open Homebody Home Décor & More in December. The Ash Grove store’s name, she said, comes from her
own personality.
“I’m a homebody,” Moyers said. “I like staying at home and just the simple pleasures of being at home. So, that’s why I named it that.”
At Homebody, Moyers sells a number of custom-made items, her signs being among them. She also makes customized T-shirts and sweatshirts, Christmas ornaments, Ash Grove Pirate-themed merchandise and many other items.

The fact that she can make these items to order, Moyers said, has become a major selling point for her customers.
“The customization, I think, is the big selling point here,” she said, “because you can go into Springfield, and you can go into a big-box store and you can buy a sign, but is it going to be handmade? Is it going to be supporting a small business? Helping grow your community with taxes? Also, (you’re) getting what colors you want and what saying you want, your last name on it (and) different things like that (which) you can’t buy in Springfield.”
Additionally, Moyers said the items she sells are quality. For example, she and her production manager, Angie Tindle, practically make all of the signs from scratch.
“We do take a lot of pride in our work,” Moyers said. Angie … and myself do all the woodcutting, painting, nailing, sanding, finishing all the frames. And, they’re all on real wood. We buy our wood locally from True Value. I have a good relationship with them, so I feel like we’re helping another business here.”
Looking to the future, Moyers hopes Homebody will retain its quaint, homey atmosphere.
“I see it being just a unique place to shop, a quaint little place to shop,” she said. “I want it to feel homey for all the homebodies; that’s why we have the fireplace. I want it to be like that.”
However, Moyers also wants to grow her business.
“I see us expanding,” she said. “And possibly, if we need more room in the future, hopefully we’ll be able to expand. Maybe carry some used antique furniture, do some refinishing of furniture; I see some of that in the future.”
Homebody Home Décor & More is located at 609 E. Wells Street, and is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday; closed Sunday. For more information, call (417)380-8605, send an e-mail at kspeddler@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page.