Turning a setback into success
His business, A Welcoming Touch, now is in a booth at The Shoppes at Homespun in Farragut, where he said he is doing well.
There, people can find an array of bows, wreaths and other handmade decors for the home.
“What we’re going after is to help people, maybe give them some different ideas on how to give a welcoming touch to their family and friends in their home,” he said. “And, it starts at the front door but it goes throughout the whole house.”
Originally, Mullins had his business at The Painted Tree, a location with a layout similar to The Shoppes at Homespun.
“They had a lot of stores,” he said. “It was a national company with stores in many states. It was pretty well-known.
“The one here [in Knoxville] had been here five or six years,” Mullins added. “I don’t really know what happened.”
“We got in with them in August or September of last year,” he said. “We really liked it. It was a great concept.”
Mullins pointed out the management team was very helpful, but he had trouble communicating with the corporate office.
“I don’t know if it was several stores or the whole concept,” he said. “We couldn’t keep up with whether they had been sold two or three times.
“We tried communicating,” Mullins said. “We got no responses back.”
In April 2026, “we had just moved into a new, larger booth, paid our rent, paid our deposit,” he recalled. “Ten days later, we got an email saying the store was closing.
“Needless to say, along with many others, we had some losses due to that,” he said, estimating that closure cost him $1,500 to $2,000, which “we didn’t get back.
“We were notified that day that they filed a Chapter 7 [bankruptcy],” Mullins said. “I went straight to the store that day … there was a big sign that said the store was closed.”
However, “We did get in,” he said. “We did get to get our stuff out, and I did it very quickly because I didn’t know … the landlords could come in and we would not get in there again.
“Imagine all those people trying to get all their stuff out,” Mullins mused. “It only had one back door.”
But, “I guess when God closes a window, He’s opened a door,” he said. “We were able to get in [The Shoppes at Homespun].
“We were able to open up here the first of May,” Mullins added. “That was a blessing.
“It’s really been great,” he said, adding he has recovered from the April downturn. “[The Shoppes] have been here a long time, and they do a good job. I’m very encouraged.”
Looking back, “We weren’t the only ones affected,” Mullins said. “A lot of people here locally were looking for places to go. There are a few here that have booths at [The Shoppes]. We’re glad we’re able to find a place in Farragut.
“We like this concept because we can bring our products in, set them up and they take care, pretty much, everything else,” he said. “For me, at my age, that works really well … this has been good.
Mullins, with his wife Donna, his stylist, bring about a bright, colorful booth for people to visit. And along with the wreaths and bows, people will find other housewarming items for their homes.
Before making wreaths and bows, Mullins was in the food business before he retired.
The items he now makes initially was a hobby.
“This was supposed to be my retirement, but it turned out to be full time,” he observed with a chuckle. “I enjoy making something and hear people like what I make.”
