Downtown boutique hopes to unite faith and community with unique product offerings
During August and September, Spark is featuring conversational-style articles focused on new and growing businesses in Downtown Manhattan, Kansas. Get to know this energetic and dynamic part of the city of Manhattan through this series.
In downtown Manhattan, Kansas, a unique and faith-driven business has emerged to bring together a community of believers and offer a distinctive shopping experience. In this feature, we meet Kyra Vanderbilt, the entrepreneur who owns Twelve A Fellowship Boutique.
With a background in apparel marketing and a deep sense of calling, Kyra embarked on a journey to create a space where Christians from diverse denominations could come together for fellowship. In this interview-styled feature, we hear from Kyra about the inspiration behind her store, also known as Twelve AFB, about its products and services, and her vision for the future. Read along as we explore how this boutique is not only a retail destination but aims to be a beacon of faith and unity in the Manhattan community.
Kyra Vanderbilt, owner of Twelve A Fellowship Boutique
What is your name and business name?
Kyra Vanderbilt, and I am the owner of Twelve A Fellowship Boutique.
What inspired you to start your business, and what is the backstory behind it?
Shortly after the COVID lockdown, I really started to feel this pull to be my own business owner. The social environment and consumer environment has changed so much after the lockdown, and I was really feeling that people needed and wanted an environment in a way for them to showcase their values in a bolder way. And that could be simply in gifting a Christian item or wearing a t-shirt with a faith-based message on it.
In a random string of events, I ended up in a position to start my own business and the space opened up downtown and was suddenly available and in front of me. I just snatched it up and really, Twelve AFB just developed from there. It was really, like I said, a calling, and I felt like I was obeying. Even though the time with my life and being a mom and all these things, I was like, I don’t know that this is the right time, but I just obeyed.
I grew up in a very religiously segregated community which had a big impact on my thoughts regarding unity and inclusion. I felt called at a very young age, while experiencing that to create a space where Christians alike could come for fellowship and learning. That just happened to play out via a retailer store.
Could you tell us about the products and/or services you offer and provide some insight into your business?
Twelve AFB offers Christian apparel and gifts both in a brick-and-mortar retail environment and online at twelveafb.com. It’s not a Christian bookstore, as some initially think, but we do carry some books! We also carry a collection of my favorite bibles, devotional collections, t-shirts with funny or inspiring faith-based messages, infant and children’s gifts, home décor and plenty more! We offer special ordering opportunities as well should someone be looking for a specific bible translation, gift opportunity, or customized item. Customers can email twelveafb.com if they have an inquiry.
As far as our product assortment is concerned, I would say the focus is definitely on gift-giving. You can come in and get a book or a Bible or a devotional or a piece of jewelry for yourself, but the majority of my customers are looking for gifts for other people. Since I’ve been open the last nine months and as I’m preparing for the end of the year, like Christmas season and back-to-school season, that’s really impacting my product planning, because I’m seeing more people buying for gifts than for themselves.
What makes your business unique? How do you differentiate yourselves from your competitors?
We’re the only Christian gift shop in Manhattan, KS. You’ll see it is kind of mixed into product assortments in other shops within the Manhattan community, but it’s not the focus. It’s been a while since MHK has had a store that caters to this niche demographic. Also, being located downtown makes Twelve AFB a destination location but with walkable traffic. That’s perfect for this mom-and-pop/speciality store with a very niche demographic.
What aspects of being part of the downtown business community have you enjoyed?
Partnering with Downtown Manhattan, Inc. (DMI) and getting to know their group who are so active in building up the downtown activities and promoting the neighboring business has been one of the aspects I’ve enjoyed most. Gina Snyder is the Executive Director, and her and her staff have just been a joy to work with. They listen to my questions about the downtown area and the ideas that I have, and then bring them together their own ideas for creating activities that are focused around the businesses downtown. It really shows me that the city of Manhattan, through the DMI organization, really cares about these businesses and growing our downtown environment, while providing a quality experience for Manhattan and its visitors.”
What are future plans you have for your business, or plans you are currently implementing?
The first of two immediate projects are local partnerships with other faith-based organizations such as Flint Hills Christian School and Manhattan Catholic Schools, where we have spirit wear in-store for students attending these schools.
Also, we’re developing the first ever festival merchandise collection for the event, Praisefest, which will be in September. I am excited to see where this develops, helping these entities. I could see the business growing to helping supply area churches or other organizations with merchandise as well.
The second one is utilizing our brick-and-mortar space to its fullest capacity by developing a second brand called Purple On Poyntz! This is a shop-within-a-shop strategy and features all things purple! The mix of merchandise is licensed K-State gear along with simple purple stapes or trendy items, so you can get a K-State necklace with a solid purple dress. The front half of the business will still be faith-based merchandise, and then the second half, the back half, will be the Purple on Poyntz shop.
My past experience has been as the lead buyer for the K-State Super Store brand, which included a large online business and the team stores at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Bramlage Coliseum, and Tointon Family Stadium. I have led the licensed K-State merchandise in Manhattan for the past 15 years. I just can’t shake my love for purple, so why not incorporate it into my other love, Christ’s fellowship?