Blog: Intro | Getting Started

Hi! I'm Chris (he/him), the founder of Valley Trading Post. Happy to have you here! A while back, I decided I would just start documenting my thoughts - I figured it would be fun to share with y'all here. This first post will be a rundown of where the idea for all of ~this~ came from and what this shop - and the name/mission means to me.

As I've gotten older, I started to really take stock and assess the value of the things I had in my life - from the experiences I had travelling with friends and family, to how I felt when returning home. My partner (fiancée at the time of this blog) and I moved around a few times, traveled, our styles evolved, and I did a lot of growing up. In our new homes, we would work to understand what made us happy, or what would function well in our day-to-day; we would ask "was it built well and made to last?" and questioned sourcing and manufacturing. We played with materials, colors, functions, and styles. At the same time, I explored my heritage and challenged myself to grow more. We learned so much, saw the importance of supporting small businesses, and wanted to be sure to give back to communities that we came from and valued.

So here we are, a contemporary Trading Post. The goal is to intentionally source & feature high quality goods that can inspire, help support small businesses and makers, and lift up communities. Having worked alongside talented folks from all over for so long, and knowing how to bring items from all over, together in one place, we aim to increase the visibility and reach of artisans and consciously bring useful, beautiful pieces to you.

We value the brands & artisans we partner with, respect their vision, and appreciate the hard work that goes into each product we bring to the Trading Post.

Ethical sourcing and fair pricing is at the heart of our values and we're committed to sourcing high quality goods that don't compromise that.

Each purchase supports small, independent businesses, minority community members, and our own independence, and further enables us to continue to lift others up.

We're constantly looking to expand our catalog so be sure to check back frequently - and if you think you have something that would fit the catalog, don't be shy! Reach out to us at hello@valleytrading.co or via Instagram: @valley_tradingpost