From Airstream to Storefront: How Sarah Collins Built Poppie’s Boutique

Sarah Collins. 

To know her is to love her. 

Sarah’s smiling face, collaborative approach to local business, and entrepreneurial drive have helped her establish one of the area’s premier retail destinations, Poppie’s Boutique. 

For those who haven’t had the pleasure of getting to know Sarah and her shop, we hope this feature serves as a fitting introduction. 

On the origins of Poppie’s Sarah stated, “Our story is what I would like to think a delightfully complex one, and I always joke that Poppie’s all happened by accident! Hindsight being 20/20, I fully realize that it was no accident at all and that so many factors and people fell into place to make this ‘surprise’ dream happen. My college boyfriend (now husband), Hunter Collins, and I were trying to raise money for missions while in school, so I started selling up-cycled clothing and handmade accessories out of my 1995 4-runner on the weekends at little craft fairs and festivals. That was in 2014 when we were juniors at Tennessee Tech.” 

She continued, “The following year brought us boxing up our tent setup and transforming a 24-ft, 1968 Airstream into a fully traveling boutique. We would visit over 30 festivals, barn sales, and fairs that year, selling my handmade goods and some boutique items as well. In true snowball fashion, that led to our first storefront, then our second, and the rest is history. I quickly learned that I wouldn’t be using my education degree and that Poppie’s Boutique could be a full-time gig for me and some really incredible women along the way, too. I’ve lived and learned from life’s best teacher (trial and error), and thankfully, my husband has his accounting degree to offset my creative and operational side of the business.”

Now a staple of two cities (Sarah also has a Poppie’s location in Lebanon), I asked Sarah what makes her businesses unique and appealing to so many. 

“I believe people come to Poppie’s for the feeling. I love that people walk into my shop and express that it just ‘feels different.’ At the end of the day, it’s not about the clothes, it’s about connection. We have had countless stories and connections from our ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ walls (spots dedicated to sharing inspirational sayings or prayer requests at both locations. We have experienced so many friendships and relationships made with customers-turned-friends.” She added, “Of course, we are always so thrilled to hear that a family of women can come in and find something for their teenage daughter, mom, and grandmother (which truly makes me giddy). The fact that three generations of women can feel comfortable and confident in a space is genuinely the icing on the cake.”

On what shoppers can expect to find in terms of retail goods when they enter Poppie’s, Sarah said, “I think boutiques get a bad reputation for only carrying certain items at a certain price point, but drop by and you’ll find a lot of items that bring so much joy! Of course, we carry boutique clothing and accessories, but we also carry a variety of gift-style items, a lot of them made locally or in the USA. We have two incredible lines of scented candles, made in Tennessee and California, all made with clean products. The same applies to a lot of our other products, too. Drop by and take a stroll. You don’t have to buy, we would just love to see you!”

Though wildly popular, Poppie’s was affected by COVID and difficult economic seasons just like every other retail business on the WestSide. I asked Sarah what she would like to say to those who helped Poppie’s continue growing through these challenging periods.

“The top thing that comes to mind is ‘thank you.’ It deeply matters to shop small, not only for the local economy, but for the impact on the fabric and culture of the community. I have had around 20 or more incredible students employed part-time at some point during our time in Cookeville. Our Cookeville manager gets to be both a career-oriented person and a mother, friend, and all of the things, because of people shopping local,” she said. 

“We have provided girls their ‘first job’ countless times. We are able to donate regularly to schools, non-profits, and athletics. All of that is possible because of people choosing to spend their dollars locally, and we are grateful in every sense of the word.” Sarah added, “Supporting small businesses doesn’t have to look like spending ‘bookoodles’ of money. Follow on socials, comment, like, or share a post. It all matters! Word of mouth marketing is invaluable. And I promise I can speak for the other incredible small businesses here, we truly appreciate it all!”

To conclude our interview, I encourage Sarah to share what she loves most about owning Poppie’s.

“As cliché as it sounds, it’s the people. At the end of the day, our clothes will end up donated or in the back of someone’s closet. Of course, I love fashion and the creative outlet that is ‘Poppie’s,’ but what has been undoubtedly life-changing has been the impact of working with the supportive communities that our shops are in, and the girls I get to work alongside.” She concluded, “I love my job, and fully realize that privilege. I love working with people who I love, and for the communities I love and truly do believe in. I’ve witnessed countless kindnesses and selflessness by my neighbors in ways that should be written in a memoir. I love being just a small piece of fabric in the quilt of the Cookeville community.” 

– by Chelsea Dartez, edited by Andrew Buckner, photos by Jennifer Clark