The Full Story
What started as a dream and goal to empower rural communities has turned into the company you see before you today. Through years of planning, building, and collaborating, Mountaineer Made has finally come to fruition, and it is an honor to get to share our story with you now!
Our Vision
A West Virginia in which creatives are empowered enough to share their crafts with the right clients and customers all over this world.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide the support that small-time West Virginian craftspersons need to create their products and form important relationships with their customers, all on an independent e-commerce platform.
Our Story
Made With Hands & Hearts in West Virginia
Over the past five years, New Vision Renewable Energy, a nonprofit based out of Barbour County, West Virginia, has observed community members with incredible talents struggle to find ways to share their gifts and creative products with new clients outside of family and friend circles. During the Covid-19 pandemic especially, it became particularly evident how important small business ventures and the work of independent creatives could be to the health and economic/artistic well-being of rural communities like Barbour County. Thus, Mountaineer Made was born. The mission behind Mountaineer Made is to connect West Virginia artisans, their talents, and their abilities to customers and peers who are invested in supporting their craft. Each purchase directly support the creators of these unique products. We believe that helping people earn living wages and advance their personal skills and abilities is vital to rebuilding our Appalachian economy and community. Our e-commerce site is an attempt to advance that economy and community, building off a long history of craftsmanship and enterprise woven through the hills and hollers of this beautiful mountain state.
Mountaineer Made is a cost-effective platform for local makers of unique products to reach a wider audience outside of Appalachia. Our ambition is to help re-energize West Virginian communities and support Mountaineers who are working hard to use their skills and abilities for the benefits of their families and communities. By providing this e-commerce platform to seamlessly sell their products, as well as giving access to small business training, we believe our makers come away equipped to reach their full creative potential for the long term. Our support includes consistent encouragement and feedback, special promotions and marketing, engaging with new customers for our makers and collaborating with them to create social media content and targeted ads, taking the burden of responsibility for handling the nitty gritty off their shoulders.
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Our efforts are not revolutionary, but they are uniquely targeted towards those artists who live and choose to create within the Mountain State. Each maker owns and operates their own enterprise and operates with the ethical framework set by the Mountaineer Made family. Our efforts represent an asset-based approach, empowering people to advance and use their own skills and passions.
Mountaineer Made is currently operated with the assistance of USDA and Rural Business Development Grants and is managed by New Vision Renewable Energy out of the Chestnut Ridge Epicenter and MakerSpace in Barbour County, West Virginia. The Epicenter MakersSpace, a building designed specifically to support multi-purpose educational, play, and production programs, provides access to the resources needed to keep Mountaineer Made running strong for many years to come. We hope that you enjoy shopping the incredible products our Mountaineer Makers have made, and we encourage you to consider making in an investment in our artists’ work, having a lasting impact on both our work and theirs for years to come.