Distinctive Style | Boone & Bounty
Photos by Sammie Robinson
Chrissy Farrant | Owner
Kysa Farrant | Owner
Erin Payne | General Manager
Whether you’re looking for treasures to elevate your home’s ambiance or toys to treat your kids, a mocha latte or a nourishing nosh, Boone & Bounty offers an immersive mercantile experience designed to delight patrons of all ages.
Open since February 2022, the vibrant retail establishment in Meriden caters to locals as well as out-of- towners drawn by the store’s welcoming atmosphere and merchandise both fun and functional.
The store’s artfully arranged home goods, candles and seasonal décor are just one aspect of the enterprise. When customers pay for their purchases at the counter, they can also select gourmet packaged treats, grab-and-go breakfast and lunch fare or ice cream to enjoy on the road, at home or in one of two well appointed gathering spaces. The Mighty Beast Coffee Roasters uses beans professionally roasted onsite and has comfy seating surrounded by toys, tote bags and one-of-a-kind hoodies and sweatshirts designed and embroidered onsite.
Co-owners and sisters-in-law Chrissy Farrant, a former respiratory therapist, and Kysa Farrant, an educator who oversees Crèche Academy, a daycare and preschool, opened the shop at the urging of their husbands, Bryce and Jake, respectively, who purchased the former Catholic church and funeral parlor in 2018. The two brothers own multiple Meriden businesses.
“Our husbands really wanted us to open a gift shop and ice cream parlor,” said Chrissy. “Kysa and I like to shop, and we wanted to provide an option for people so they wouldn’t have to go to Lawrence or Topeka all the time to get home goods and gift items. We also recognized a need for offering easy and accessible breakfast and lunch items since there weren’t any fresh options in town. Our husbands still wanted ice cream.”
“Our husbands were really heavy on the ice cream,” said Kysa, laughing. “Chrissy and I were heavy on the shopping so we had to bargain over the amount of space each would get in the store. And we’re moms so we knew we needed to carry things for kids too, like slime and pop guns.”
The ice cream component has become a fan favorite with four options each month, often scooped up by members of the Woolly Farms Foundation, which helps adults with diverse needs and abilities engage with the community and develop their potential.
The Mammoth Burrito, stuffed with eggs, sausage, cheese, bacon and tater tots, is an all-day staple, while soups, salads, sandwiches, seasonal specialties and sweets rotate weekly.
Blending community and commerce with a staff comprising family and friends is a key component of Boone & Bounty’s business model. Erin Payne, a long-time acquaintance who previously worked for the Kansas Department of Revenue, serves as general manager of Boone & Bounty and Dany Guzman, Chrissy’s twin sister, serves as head barista of The Mighty Beast.
“We have a country, family feel,” said Kysa. “Customers see people they know here, whether it’s Erin or a Woolly Farms member or a high school student working at the counter. And if they don’t know Erin when they arrive, they definitely will by the time they leave.”
Payne, an enthusiastic extrovert and self-proclaimed jack-of-all trades, oversees 22 staff members, all of whom live in the area, and enjoys the variety of her days, whether it’s chatting with customers, finding a forklift to unload a semi of merchandise or delivering lunches to businesses around town.
She began her position last December working at a card table in a hallway as store preparations were underway for the grand opening.
“It was just 75,000 boxes and me,” she said. “The first thing I opened was a Bigfoot bendy and the second was a wiener dog and I thought for a minute I was going to be working in a toy store.
Every day here is like Christmas with new inventory and I’m always excited to see what Chrissy and Kysa have ordered.”
While Chrissy and Kysa said they felt confident about their ability to curate Boone & Bounty’s distinctive collection of hand-picked provisions through online wholesale sites and a market trip to Dallas, they enlisted help from Paul Strickland, a visual merchandiser, to fashion their displays for optimal appeal.
Chrissy describes her style as “comfortable and homey” and Kysa’s as “sophisticated and elegant.”
Boone & Bounty’s name is as multi-layered as its offerings. Daniel Boone’s son, Daniel Morgan Boone, helped found Jefferson County with 10 others and his last name is a play on words with boon—something beneficial or a blessing—while bounty encompasses the store’s concept of abundance and the area’s agricultural heritage.
“When people come here, we want them to feel loved and cared for,” said Payne, who often assists customers with special requests. “It’s such a fun environment. We laugh every day.”
The Farrants’ combined six children held the ribbon for the grand opening and Payne positioned herself on a ladder for a better vantage point to take in a packed crowd of family, friends and spectators.
“It was a very emotional day seeing our husbands so proud of us and so many people excited about our opening,” said Kysa. “It really hit me that night that we were doing something really good for our community.”
Both Farrants are grateful for the support they’ve received so far and are committed to ensuring the store’s ongoing success.
“We continue to evolve and make adjustments as we go along,” said Chrissy. “We really want Boone &
Bounty to be a resource for people } who live here as well as an attractive destination for others in the region.”
