We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kiowa Madrid a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kiowa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?

One of the biggest lessons I learned in school was that I didn’t have to follow the traditional path and honestly, it took me a while to really believe that.
In high school, everything was about checking boxes: take the right classes, get into college, pick a “safe” major, land a 9-to-5. That was the formula. And I really tried to follow it, but it never felt right. I wasn’t excited about the idea of sitting behind a desk for someone else, doing the same thing every day, asking for permission to take time off. That just wasn’t me.
The realization didn’t come from some big dramatic moment, it was more of a slow build. I started noticing that the things I actually enjoyed, creating, designing, reselling vintage stuff, working with my hands, all existed outside the traditional path. And the more I leaned into those things, the more sense it made.
Owning a store isn’t the usual route, especially not at 25, but that’s exactly what made it right for me. I wasn’t chasing a job title or trying to impress anyone. I was building something that fits how I want to live: creative, independent, flexible, and mine.
There have been hard days, a lot of them , but I’ve never once felt like I made the wrong choice. That lesson stuck with me: your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. That’s kind of the whole point.

Kiowa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Kiowa, the owner of Hutto Antique Mall, a vintage and antique store that I opened in August 2024 with the goal of bringing something unique to the Hutto community. I felt like our town needed a place where people could actually shop local, somewhere fun, nostalgic, and full of personality, without having to drive out to Austin or elsewhere just to find something cool.
I’ve been around this world my entire life. All of my grandparents took me to garage sales, flea markets, and estate sales when I was a kid, and I loved it. My mom kept that going too; we’d hit estate sales together, and eventually I started thrifting on my own. That mix of family memories and the thrill of the hunt is what really shaped my love for vintage. Over time, that love turned into a full-on passion for collecting, curating, and sharing it with others.
Now, I run a store that brings all of that together. Hutto Antique Mall is a mix of vintage clothing, retro housewares, quirky collectibles, ashtrays, artwork, accessories, dishes, and everything in between. We have a group of vendors who bring in their own finds, but I personally handle the overall layout, daily operations, cleaning, styling, and marketing, every little detail that makes the shop feel intentional.
What sets me apart is the perspective I bring as a younger business owner. I grew up loving vintage and secondhand shopping, and now I get to create that experience for other people, especially in a town that didn’t have many options like this before. My goal has always been to bring more shopping to Hutto, something local, fun, and different that gives people a reason to explore their own community.
I focus on creating a space that feels fresh, thoughtfully styled, and welcoming to a wide range of shoppers, not just collectors. I want it to be easy for someone to walk in, find something they love, and feel like the shop was made for them.
What I’m most proud of is building a place that reflects my vision and my values, creativity, independence, and a real appreciation for the things people overlook. Seeing people walk in, smile, and find something that reminds them of their childhood or totally surprises them, that’s what keeps me going. This store is something I’ve poured my energy into, and I hope it shows.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My side hustle absolutely turned into my full-time business. I started out working at Vintique Mall in Taylor, where I learned the ins and outs of running and managing an antique mall. That job taught me a lot, everything from vendor management and pricing to what makes a store actually run smoothly. While I was there, I got the chance to open my own booth, and that’s really when my resale journey began.
Having that booth gave me a space to experiment and learn. I paid attention to what sold, how people shopped, and what kinds of items were worth picking up. I started thrifting more, sourcing better, and slowly building up inventory. It was a side hustle, but I was treating it like something more.
Eventually, I was renting a storage unit at the Affordable Storage Shops in Hutto, and the building manager showed me a beautifully finished space for rent. From there, I decided to take the leap. I rented the space and opened Hutto Antique Mall in August 2024. What started as a hobby, side hustle, and job slowly turned into a full-time business and now I run it completely, day in and day out.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What helped me build my reputation within my market is the community, both the local Hutto community and the broader vintage/reseller community. From the beginning, I’ve focused on creating a space that’s welcoming, collaborative, and supportive. It’s not just about selling things, it’s about helping people find pieces they connect with and giving quality items a second chance.
The vintage and antique world is full of amazing people who genuinely care about preserving the past and reducing waste. A big part of what we do is about sustainability, making sure good stuff doesn’t end up in a landfill before anyone even gets the chance to see it. Through my vendors and the relationships we’ve built, we’re able to save those pieces, price them fairly, and give customers the opportunity to find something they might not have found otherwise.
Within the reseller community, it’s also about supporting each other. Sharing resources, sending customers to each other’s booths, and working together to make the entire shop, and local scene, stronger. I think that kind of collaboration and shared mindset is what helped me build a solid reputation. People know I care about more than just a sale, I care about the community, the items, and the experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://huttoantiquemall.com
• Instagram: @huttoantiquemall
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hutto-Antique-Mall/61562302596777/?_rdr
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hutto-antique-mall-hutto