Vintage MiMi is WLAF’s business of week; Christmas give-a-way ahead

TOP PHOTO: Vintage MiMi is located at 1720 Jacksboro Pike in LaFollette across from LaFollette Monuments.

By Charlotte Underwood 

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Vintage Mimi is WLAF’s business of the week. The family owned business recently opened on Nov. 26 and is locally owned by Heather Brock, who runs the shop with the help of “her girls.”

It is located at 1720 Jacksboro Pike in LaFollette across from LaFollette Monuments. Vintage MiMi has unique gifts for the holiday season and has a 12 Days of Christmas giveaway coming up.

“We are not a boutique but more of a gift shop offering unique and fun items. We hand pour our own wax melts and make homemade sugar scrubs but our most exciting items are our freeze dried candy,” Brock said.

Vintage MiMi will be having a 12 days of Christmas give away coming up this month. Join its Facebook group Vintage MiMi for more details. The shop will be having a drawing everyday for 12 days where they giveaway items from the store. No purchase necessary, just stop in and drop your name and number in the giveaway box to register for the drawing.

Brock said she and her family were excited to meet new faces and make new friends while she follows her dream of operating her own business. 

A full time nurse with a busy life, Brock learned she is going to be a “MiMi” this coming February and decided she wanted more time with her family.  She said she knew something had to change and so she prayed about it and followed her heart. 

“Over the summer I sat back and looked at my family situation. We foster three beautiful children that require a lot of attention and had just got the news that I was going to be a MiMi come this February. I am a full-time nurse and my husband pastors a little church here in LaFollette that we devote a lot of time to as well. I prayed about it and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I love my job as a nurse, but I am missing out on so much with my family by working these 12-hour shifts,” Brock said.

So she sat down with her husband and pitched her idea. 

“I figured he would laugh and tell me I was crazy, but he didn’t. He believed in me and offered me all his support. Everything has been a whirlwind since then. We were blessed to be able to lease the perfect building with the atmosphere I was searching for, a beautiful log cabin right on the four lane,” Brock said.

She got her creative mind to work about what she wanted to offer. 

“T-shirts are fun and who doesn’t love a good comfy shirt. Designs are endless. I love my little hometown, but truth be told there’s not a lot of gifting options available so when it comes to shopping we usually head over to Knoxville to shop. I got to thinking about all the locals who can’t venture out that far. We needed something local for those who would like unique gifts at great prices,” Brock said.

Then she tried freeze dried candy for the first time and said it is hard to describe how good it is.

“I told my husband we need to bring this to the area at prices everyone could afford. I saved up and bought the equipment I needed and spent months figuring out recipes and candies that would work out freeze dried,” Brock said.

The shop now offers several freeze dried favorites including skittles, chewy sprees, nerd clusters, sour gummy worms, jolly ranchers, milk duds, chewy Werthers, caramel apple suckers, several flavors of salt water taffy and Brock tries to add something new every week. Bags are priced $5 for small and $8 for larger bags. 

“Opening this little shop has allowed me to spend a lot more time with my family. My girls and I run the shop and my husband stops in to help too some days. I am so much more relaxed and love being able to talk to people that come in and make that friendly connection. Sometimes all someone needs on a bad day is a hello and a smile. I feel so blessed to be able to offer our services to our community and I can’t wait to see where this goes. Come see us,” Brock said. 

Check out Vintage MiMi on Facebook for updated and sales. For more information, message on Facebook. It is located at 1720 Jacksboro Pike, in LaFollette in the old Sugar Puddins Building. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/02/2022-6AM)