Meet Andrew Schmidt | Fair Trade Store Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Schmidt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up in Canada and my wife here in Southwest Colorado. We both grew up with a love for the mountains, adventure, and traveling. On a camping trip, back 12 years ago, we had an unrelenting urge to use our opportunity of growing up in two of the richest countries, full of opportunities many people around the world would never dream about experiencing. We wanted to connect their handmade goods with our marketplaces and hopefully provide elevated economic freedom. That was the start of us entering the artisan fair trade world.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Revival Goods just celebrated our 3rd anniversary. We sell a collection of Fair Trade handmade artisan products from over 25 countries. We carry home goods, clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Everything is unique and has a story behind it. We started in Durango, CO March 1st 2020….ouch! The timing of opening our store 2 weeks before the pandemic closure was less than ideal business planning but who knew such a “thing” was coming. I believe starting at such a challenging time has caused our business to be lean and scrappy to make it in the ever changing small business world. What I’ve learned along the way is there is no “ideal” or “perfect” time to start a business and what works one year may or may not work the next. We are constantly trying new things and sometimes they work but often they don’t and that is just part of the ongoing process of running a business- action oriented problem solving. When people walk into our shop we want them to know what artisans around the world are capable of creating with their local resources and how their purchase is helping prevent issues such as global poverty and human trafficking.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
After living in multiple CO mountain towns over the past 20 years I would say my favorite spots and aspects of Durango are downtown and the river. Durango has such a great downtown historic feel. Main Ave is lined with some of the best restaurants around. El Moro, Chimayo, and Carver Brewing Co are all places I take my out-of-town guests. No matter the time of year the river trail is a great way to walk or bike through town and access the river with it’s many amazing swimming holes. In the summer, heading up the 550 will bring you into some of the most jaw dropping wilderness for exploring and escaping the heat. Another gem I always take visitors to in the Spring through Fall is Lake Nighthorse, just a short 10min drive from town it has amazing water and great for paddleboarding.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We are so thankful so be apart of the Fair Trade Federation and would love to thank all the amazing individuals and businesses that make up such a special organization. We have been encouraged and inspired over that past years of doing wholesale and retail by the support we have received! It is a business community where the collective good is the most important driver of decisions.

Another shoutout is to our dear family member Brooke Mooney who started the store with us three years ago and has truly made Revival Goods such a special place in Durango, her hometown for the past 20 years.

Website: shoprevivalgoods.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoprevivalgoods/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/revival-goods-durango