POCATELLO — On a bustling block of North Main Street in Historic Downtown Pocatello, one of the shops waiting is Goodbye Hello Crafts and Boutique.

The store at 144 N. Main St. is owned by Kristi Payne and Jamie Helmandollar. Helmandollar is from Pocatello while Payne is originally from Fort Hall but now lives in Pocatello.

“We met at a local craft show probably eight years ago and decided that we wanted to put on our own craft show,” Payne said.

At first, they called their show Goodbye Winter Hello Spring, and in the fall they called it Goodbye Flip-Flops Hello Sweaters. After a few years of this, they decided to shorten the name to simply Goodbye Hello Craft Show. Fortunately, by this time, customers were familiar with their products, and the name stuck.

In May 2021, the two were able to open their storefront. Payne said that while they have had to sanitize their shop, it has been good for them to have opened after the lifting of the mask mandates.

For Payne, the best part of owning her business has been being part of the community in the downtown area of Pocatello. She has also enjoyed meeting new people. Many of the products she and Helmandollar sell come from local artists and small business owners throughout Southeast Idaho.

“My favorite part about owning this business is doing something that is still considered ‘work’ but is also fun,” Helmandollar said.

She loves making and designing the crafts, and picking out the clothes. She also loves working with all of the different vendors and Payne, who she considers to be one of her best friends.

The owners offer a wide variety of women’s and children’s clothing and home decor in their shop. There are dresses and shirts with many different patterns. Some black dresses have small, white dots; others have horizontal stripes. There are clothes with floral patterns and some with simple solid colors. A selection of patriotic children’s clothing is also available.

Some of the home decor includes small tiles with “Work Hard Snack Often” or “Excuse the Mess but We Live Here.” Against a wall was a shelf covered with brightly colored stuffed animals sure to attract any child that comes into the store. There were elephants, dinosaurs, and unicorns included in the selection. Some of these stuffed animals appeared to have been knitted while others appear to have been sewn together. Many have a tag attached to them declaring the animal to be handmade.

Close to the animals is another shelf adorned with small cans of paint. Each can is labeled with the brand Wise Owl Chalk Synthesis Paint and a splotch of color indicating what color the paint is. Colors such as Inkwell, Higgins Lake, and Poseidon are among the colors represented.

As with the clothing selection, there are patriotic crafts as well. Wooden American flags were among the selection of patriotic options. Tiles with messages such as “We the People” and “America, Established 1776” were included. The walls were adorned with red, white, and blue wreaths. Customers can almost hear the National Anthem being played in the background while looking at them.

The first thing that draws the customer’s eye when they reach Goodbye Hello Crafts and Boutique is the black sign with the elegant white script announcing the name of the business. This sophisticated sign is contrasted nicely by the red, white, and blue wreath hanging on the door and the wooden American flag propped against the glass window.

The spacious area is filled with all of the different products drawing the customer’s eye in different directions. Some are immediately drawn to the large selection of clothes while others are attracted to the home decor.

Goodbye Hello Crafts and Boutique is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the shop and its products, visit goodbyehellocrafts.com or facebook.com/goodbyehellocraftsandboutique.