Enhancing People’s Lives Through Spacial Transformations with Kristie Moore of Soul Purpose Home
Collider is passionate about sharing the stories of entrepreneurs and small business owners in Rochester! We recently chatted with Kristie Moore, longtime Rochester small business owner, who seeks to transform her clients’ lives in meaningful ways through designing and arranging beautiful, functional spaces.
Photo contributed by Kristie Moore.
“It’s been an exhilarating journey and beautifully challenging,” Kristie Moore said, reflecting on her years of business ownership.
Kristie’s first business venture began in 1996 when she and her family moved from Minneapolis to Rochester to start Refashion, a clothing consignment business, in partnership with her sister, Cindy Hughes. Not long after opening their first location, the sisters expanded into a second location, also downtown, which included an addition to the business, Refurnish. Through Refurnish, they featured consigned furniture and decor. A year later, they expanded once again to include a home styling service called Rearrange, offering one day makeovers using people’s existing furniture and decor to transform and reimagine their spaces, a service which would later be featured on HGTV!
“All three businesses were growing quickly, it was an exciting time!” Kristie said. “ I've always had such a heart for downtown Rochester. It's the hub and core of the city and it was important to me to be a part of that urban atmosphere and experience.”
Eight years into co-owning and managing the triage of businesses, Kristie decided to take a step back after the birth of her third child, having a strong desire to be at home full time with her family. At that time, Kristie began taking on occasional freelance re-design jobs.
In 2016, Kristie was drawn to re-enter the business ownership role, but in a different and reimagined avenue. She opened Soul Purpose, a boutique filled with the work of global artisans, in downtown Rochester, sharing space with Refashion, which had downsized and consolidated to a single storefront at that time.
“While working through the idea for Soul Purpose, I felt called to create something that didn’t just sell things, but functioned as a marketplace that supported a unique and less known segment of the population, specifically global artisans, many of whom were survivors of human trafficking, poverty, addiction and abuse.”
She continued, “The storefront became a delightful combination of textiles, wall art, jewelry, food products, soaps and body care products. It also featured amazing local artisans that refinished furniture, painted furniture, wall art, and handmade clothing. I absolutely loved creating market space for these artisans and for my own furniture creations. Soul Purpose was a bright light in downtown Rochester for locals and visitors.”
Sadly, in 2018, with rising costs and challenges of being a brick and mortar business, Kristie made the difficult decision to close her downtown storefront. Kristie’s sister relocated and later sold Refashion, which has continued to thrive under the ownership of Alisha Arguello and her husband. Kristie, however, following a disappointing search for a space to transition into, decided to close Soul Purpose as a boutique indefinitely.
“I really grieved when Soul Purpose had to transition into something new,” Kristie explained. “At that point, I had to decide how to continue doing meaningful work using my God-given gifts and experience, while also focusing on the larger goal of creating meaningful connections with people through my business beyond the transaction of selling a product or service. That's really where the name Soul Purpose came from, the desire to create and do something with impact beyond turning a profit.”
After a period of soul searching, Kristie began her next venture, Soul Purpose Home, leaning on design education from her college years, experience gained through Rearrange, continued self education, and acquired certification to create her staging and design business.
Photo contributed by Kristie Moore.
“There always seems to be a silver lining from challenges we face, and for me Soul Purpose Home was that silver lining,” Kristie said. “I wanted to expand the ways that I could help people love their spaces and I had the tools to do so through my years of experience and a diverse, creative background as a boutique owner, furniture artist, retail stylist, and redesigner.”
Kristie underwent business coaching, became a certified stager, and began working with local real estate agents and homeowners to get her reimagined business off the ground. It has since expanded to include redesign work for model apartments, short term rentals and some commercial spaces.
“It is incredible work to help people get unstuck in their physical spaces, and lead them to solutions that maximize property appeal, reduce stress, and create spaces that people love and want to linger in,” Kristie said.
Photo contributed by Kristie Moore.
“I love solving problems. Even though I have a very creative mind, I see things more in a building block kind of way. So when I walk into a space I can rearrange it in my mind and see elements that many people cannot see.”
She continued, “Our spaces have a tremendous impact on us. And right now we live in a time where people are often overwhelmed by their stuff. with busy lives and lots of distractions. We live in a world that makes it easy to become discontent and question how we live, what we do, and how we think our spaces should look. It’s my goal to help people connect with themselves, celebrate their style, and create a space that truly works for them in their own unique way.”
Photo contributed by Kristie Moore.
As a word of advice to aspiring business owners Kristie said, “I think everyone going into business ownership should know that it is an amazing journey, and that it can also be super hard. At times you will likely be wearing every hat imaginable and that it can be incredibly lonely. So seek out mentors and stay connected to other dynamic peers in your profession and community. Through my years as a woman-owned, small business owner, it has always been meaningful and worth the struggle.”
She continued, “Keep adapting, keep learning. I am constantly trying to improve what I know, understand who I serve, and how I can serve them better. I've had business coaching, attended conferences, worked on webinars, done design trainings, completed certifications, and learned sophisticated design software. I'm always doing that on the fringe, because I want to provide the best value that I can to my clients. I think it's really important to stay relevant to keep adding value to yourself and your business.”
Outside of her work though Soul Purpose, Kristie seeks a simple, homespun life with her husband, their five children, and pets. She treasures time spent outdoors hiking, kayaking, biking, and rollerblading.
“I really like simple living and having a lifestyle that doesn’t need to be propped up. I’m just trying to be present in the midst of the craziness and daring to be different.”
Kristie is delighted and humbled by her work with people and their spaces and said, “It’s so personal and humbling to have someone bring me into their space. I feel honored to have the opportunity to create spaces that are visually pleasing, but are also highly functional and intentional in ways that will positively affect my clients’ lives. It is so rewarding to come in, really listen, find solutions and achieve transformations that enhance people’s lives.”
Thank you for taking the time to read Kristie’s story! If you find value in this content, please consider donating to help Collider continue amplifying the voices of Rochester entrepreneurs. You can also find out more about Soul Purpose Home by clicking the link below!
Article by Corrie Strommen, Director of Communications at Collider.
