Today we’d like to introduce you to Laceey McClain.
Hi Laceey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
March of 2026 I saw an open booth at a local vintage market, and was filled with a spark of inspiration to start something new. I’ve been in love with vintage and antiques since I was little, and spent some time in college studying interior design. Though I ultimately chose to pursue another path in my college studies, a true love for design has never left me. I signed up to start a vintage and antique booth, and that’s where Laceleaf Home first started. However, I quickly found myself wanting to branch out from my small vintage booth. I started signing up for local outdoor vintage markets, and found I loved connecting with shared community – other lovers of vintage, antiques, and shopping second hand. I knew I wanted to have more of a personal shopping experience with the individuals purchasing my vintage curations. I started browsing potential options, and that’s when I decided to take the leap and get a studio at the Park Trades Center. I spent the month of October getting things ready – moving, painting, cleaning, sourcing, and curating, all to be ready to open up the doors for November’s Art Hop event with the other studios. I’m so grateful to be in the Park Trades Center with so many other creators and entrepreneurs. It is an inspiring place to be. Currently, Laceleaf Home is open 1-2x per month for in person shopping or by appointment. Additionally, Laceleaf Home will be participating in upcoming outdoor vintage markets this summer in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I really feel I just took a leap of faith into a passion project. I knew I loved vintage and I have always had any eye for design. It’s always a process figuring out what’s next, and I’m still early on in this journey, but in this last year I have learned so much and been connecting with amazing people along the way. I would currently describe it as an ever evolving adventure rather than a struggle. Figuring out how to fit this into my already very full life has been a learning experience in prioritization. Creating this has taken up so much of my evenings and weekends. Starting this I wasn’t in a place, nor did I want, to leave my full time job as a psychotherapist and social worker. I wanted to have a space to lean into my creativity and share myself in another way with the community. Starting Laceleaf Home has connected me with different parts of myself and I’m looking forward to seeing how it evolves in the future. Although I love the creativity the studio space offers, I also have to be realistic about wanting to make this a profitable business, and finding that balance of passion with profit. I’m very pleased with how this first year has gone building this small business into what it currently is, but expect there will be challenges along the way – as with anything worth working for.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Laceleaf Home is a small vintage and inspiration curation space with a emphasis on global finds, natural materials, and connecting with community through creativity. I hope for Laceleaf Home to serve as more than just a vintage and antique shop, but a place people can come to be inspired to create and design in their home, to use secondhand material rather than buying new, and to participate in a circular economy within the Kalamazoo community.
However, Laceleaf Home is not the only hat I wear. Most days you can find me supporting young adults as a community-based psychotherapist and social worker with a specialization in working with LGBTQ+ individuals. Another one of my many passions in life – supporting young people to live life authentically. In many ways, the young people I work with inspired me to to start this chapter. You spend enough time supporting others to live their life with less anxiety about the “what ifs” that you decide to do the same.
How do you think about luck?
I just feel lucky to be in place to leap into something without getting stuck in the in fear of “What if?” I’ve dreamt of having a little vintage shop since I was a little girl, and I never knew how that was going to happen. I used to tell myself stories about all the things that needed to be done before I could make a big decision, but when I felt inspired to start Laceleaf Home I decided to just go for it and trust that I would figure it out. That’s what luck feels like to me. Trusting in your abilities to just do something and figure it out along the way. I remind myself life is so short and unpredictable, so much is out of our control – so I might as well spend my days doing what fills me up inside. I believe you can’t always wait around for luck or the perfect circumstances, you have to put yourself in the places to create it.
Pricing:
- Prices vary
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laceleafhome.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laceleafhome
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/profile/61574965958159/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/laceleafhome/
