The Linder Family | Andy, Ophelia, Jess & Lyla

I can’t believe it’s been almost 5 years now since we made this giant leap into the world of small business ownership, country living, and outdoor adventure. If you don’t already know the story, we wanted to take time this holiday season to reflect & share with you, the crazy and wonderful journey that brought us here!

We (Andy & Jess) had been coming to the Trading Post with friends annually on the 4th of July for years. Around 12 or so years ago now, we locked eyes with John (the previous owner) at the end of our river trip and told him how much we would love to do this someday. Andy gave him his business card and we went about our day. We didn’t really think about it too often after that… it was a pipedream fantasy after all! We got married, had 2 beautiful girls (Lyla & Ophelia), and moved into our forever home in Indianapolis… or so we thought. One night in 2018, Andy got a call from John. He said they were getting ready to sell the business and saved his information all these years. What’s still pretty crazy to us is that if John had waited just a few weeks to make that call, he wouldn’t have been able to connect with us because of Andy’s job and phone number change.

As we talked about it, Andy was ecstatic by the thought of buying this business, moving closer to home, and being his own boss. I, on the other hand, was skeptical. I loved our home, our daughters’ school (which we could walk to), our group of friends, the convenience of the city, and more about our life in Indy. But I agreed to a visit and meet with John and Jesslyn to talk about the business. I thought we would be gone for a couple of hours but we spent the entire day touring the property and talking. We got into the car that evening, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I knew this is exactly what we were meant to do. We decided right then to go all in and make it happen.

It took a LOT of hard work and time. Every night after working and putting the girls to bed, we would stay up researching, filling out paperwork, working to do whatever we needed to do for this dream. The first year was a whirlwind for sure, but we still feel beyond blessed for such a smooth transition. Not only were John and Jesslyn amazing and truly helped us learn what we needed to be successful, but the employees we gained were helpful and friendly, the community welcoming, and the customers warm-hearted and accepting.

We hit the ground running and never looked back. Today, we often get asked if we still like it here or feel like we made the right decision. The answer is 1,000 times YES!! We can’t imagine a different life now. We are so grateful for this life, this opportunity and for YOU; our customers, employees, family and friends. Thank you for being on this journey with us and motivating and inspiring us along the way. I encourage you all to take just 15 minutes today to reflect on what you are thankful for. Share that with the people you love and brighten their day. And don’t forget to dream big! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

With love & (as always) good vibes,

The Linders | Trading Post Tribe