Conversations with Tracy Fana

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracy Fana.

Tracy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
My story is one of a mother that needed something to keep her days full while her babies were in school. After leaving my job as a Professional Make-up Artist at Ford Models & M.A.C. Cosmetics to raise my children & be there when they arrived home from school. I felt lost & lonely as they kept my days full & time was an extravagance that I didn’t have very often to myself. Well, that all changed, and it left me needing a creative outlet to occupy my mind & fulfill my creative passions as an artist at the time we lived in Rocky River; and I realized people often threw away very nice pieces of furniture that really only needed a minimal repair & a little TLC. I started picking up small pieces on the curbside when I could & rehoming them in our garage to repair them. I learned as I made mistakes & little by little started a new hobby that developed into a little side gig. I ended up learning new artistic skills to revamp & upcycle the pieces, but we only had so much room in our humble home. So, I decided it was time to sell some of the overflow by way of my first show The Cleveland Flea. My first show was a surprising success, so I decided to do two additional shows, which eventually led to my first store location. In the midst of my shows we moved to the east side and had our third child. During Covid, we would drive to get fresh produce & that would take us through Mantua, Ohio. After several trips, I noticed the charming town & inquired about a building for lease. That lead to my first location that was home to Forage + Feather during the height of Covid 2020 for about a year and a half. After that, wanting to get closer to home, we found a charming historic building that was the perfect next chapter for my vision of what lay ahead for my boutique that had become so much a part of who I was. I infused some many things into this little boutique that are so important to me as a mother & business owner. I love decorating, health, wellness, reading, art, dancing, music & always learning new things. Forage +Feather is so much more than shopping; it’s an experience that is always worth the drive. We are welcoming, inviting, fun, and honestly, we are so grateful to do something we love & be able to offer that to our customers. We offer various art classes, regular sip & shops, make-up services, and outdoor bazaars in the summer months, and we have many more ideas on the horizon… If you like something out of the ordinary & want to savor the moment, then you’ll definitely want to stop by! 

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?
When I started Forage+Feather, it was during the height of Covid August 12th, 2020, which was such a scary time in general. To start a business during that time was total insanity! Surprisingly we did very well due to the fact that people felt safer or so they said, shopping small. As things started opening up, we definitely saw a difference with business slowing down a bit. When we moved, it was hard because we essentially had to start all over again with the new location, which was frustrating and challenging. It was also a totally different market, so there for very different clientele. I found things that once were popular where no longer having the same traction. It took patience and perseverance to navigate the new adventure that I was part of. I felt like quitting on several occasions, but sadly, apparently, I’m a diehard! I am too curious to see where this venture will go to throw in the shoe! But seriously, owning a business, as they say, isn’t for the faint of heart, so I understand now why I had to be more seasoned, shall we say, to be part of this journey. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have always loved all things art-related since I was a young girl… When I was a child, I loved playing with my fashion plates & Barbie head where I’d spend hours creating and dreaming of new creative combinations & new makeup looks. As I got older, I needed a more tangible subject matter, which led me to my friends & family members to use as my models. I eventually grew up, but my passion stayed consistent & on target with my soul’s desires. I went to Ohio University & pursued a degree in Fashion Consulting Art & Design. Upon graduating college, I moved to Columbus, Ohio & worked at various Retail locations as an Assistant Manager before moving back to Cleveland, Ohio, where I got into Visual Display working for Banana Republic. After doing visual display for several years, M. A.C. Cosmetics came to Cleveland & was lucky to get a job with them, which led to me becoming a professional makeup artist for Ford Models as well as working with so many talented Photographers& Models. During this time, I built my portfolio through the years and was very busy as a Stylist doing make-up, hair & clothing. I worked a lot, which left me little time to socialize, but eventually I met my husband & got married and over the years we’ve been married we had three beautiful children Cecilia 19, Quinten 16 & Sawyer 8, whom I am very proud of…Once I became a mother, it was as if I had prepared for this role my whole life. It was all-consuming and all-encompassing, and since I was an older mother by society’s standards, I was all in & ready. I still worked two days a week doing makeup, but when my second child started kindergarten, I decided I wanted to be home when my daughter & son got home & so I took a hiatus from my career. That led to my second act, my furniture hobby, which essentially launched Forage+Feather. When I originally started Forage +Feather, I intended to have a lot of natural options for our customers to choose from, but as I was seeking out skincare, I found even natural ones still had hidden chemicals, so I decided I was going to try to make my own line, After a lot of research, reading and test runs I launched Showie & Glowie which has some amazing products that give real results without the risk or harm of chemical additives. I think without a doubt what makes Forage + Feather special it is truly it’s an experience, that’s the best way I can describe it. We are a unique boutique that won’t break the bank because I made a promise that it would be a place that I would want to shop at & have all things that people would love and need that just makes sense… I am a very thrifty, practical person. Even though I am artistic, I am very logical. I don’t collect anything that doesn’t have a purpose or serves my family on some level, so that’s what I wanted for Forage + Feather. If it doesn’t bring people joy in some area of their live or fulfill a need then I didn’t want it in my boutique, that’s a standard I stand firm on, and it seems to be a philosophy that has served our customers thus far. 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We sell organic skincare, organic makeup, organic goat milk soap, handmade soy candles, books, pottery chocolate, various types of artwork, wood-burned & wood-chipped artwork, resin art, photography, fine art, glass art, jewelry, specialty foods, vegan chocolate, cutting boards, handmade leather, high-quality art supplies, chalk paint, pillows, painted furniture, clothing, and more. We do make-up services, sip & shops, outdoor summer bazaars, and offer art classes. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://forageandfeather.com/
• Instagram: Forageandfeathershop
• Facebook: @foragefeather9317
• Youtube: Forage

Image Credits
Jackie Cholley
Vickie Yendriga
Cecilia Fana