Photo location: Hi Lo Homestead Art Park
T-shirt design: Prescott McCarthy

Taking inspiration from the chance find of an old perfume bottle, the name ‘Moon Wind’ evokes thoughts of starry nights, cool breezes and little whimsy. While their moniker might convey a carefree demeanour, the message of Moon Wind Trading Co. is anything but.

Co-founder Mieka May developed an interest in sustainability over a decade ago and, alongside her husband and business partner Prescott McCarthy, set up the desert lifestyle boutique in California’s Yucca Valley. Stocking both lifestyle and wellness products, they focus on natural and re-purposed materials, stocking the handcrafted goods of local artisans, and have quickly amassed a loyal customer-base passionate about taking charge of how, where and why they consume. TEO chatted with Mieka about ethical consumption, starting their first store in a 1961 Ford bus and 2020 plans.

TEO: Tell us about your location—how did you come to be in this amazing space?
Mieka: My husband and I decided to settle down in Landers and purchased a homestead cabin on a five-acre plot just north of the shop. We would pass the vacant shell of Moon Wind every time we drove up highway 247 to our casa. One day it hit us—that’s the location to turn into the shop I have been waiting to create!

Why did you choose to open Moon Wind Trading Co.?
Opening a shop was a long time coming for Moon Wind Trading Co. Its predecessor was Le Boustique, which was a mobile store inside of a travelling 1961 Ford bus. It was finally time to settle down and grow roots in the desert of Landers, California.

When did you become interested in sustainability and consumption?
It was a Burning Man subculture that introduced me to the current issues of our consumption in 2009 and how to become more sustainable. It was inevitable to witness what we are doing to our planet and that we need to find a solution.

How did you settle on the name Moon Wind and what does it mean to you?
The property my husband and I purchased in Landers is known as the HiLo Homestead. It was basically a five-acre landfill that was someone’s lifetime of hoarding! One day while cleaning up their life, I found an old Avon perfume bottle labelled ‘Moon Wind.’ I realised that is exactly what this desert breeze is—just like ocean waves! Right away I went inside and purchased the domain name, email address, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest accounts.

As a sustainable and ethical lifestyle has featured more in public discourse, have you seen more people in your store looking for ways to reduce their global impact?
Yes—we have seen people who actually care about their consumption, and this is great news!

How has your store developed since you opened? Have you expanded your product range or invested in marketing?
We have managed to double our sales each year we’ve been open! We keep moving towards products that we know people want and away from the ones that just collect dust. We are staying true to our purpose of bringing people sustainable items and always excited to find new brands in alignment with that path. For the most part, social media and word-of-mouth do us just fine.

What’s your most popular product?
Our most popular product is the ‘Moonchild Tarot Deck’ by Starseed Designs. Second to follow are paintings by Prescott McCarthy. It’s tough to keep both fully stocked.

I love that you take a holistic approach to wellbeing—from what you’re putting in your body to what you surround yourself with in your home. Do you feel they’re equally important?
Everything that we consume has an impact on the environment around us. It’s super important to be aware of that.

Finally, what’s on the cards for this year?
In 2020 we’re going to be adding an addition onto our shop that will become a Moroccan tea-style loungeroom; it’s going to be a really cool place to hang while shopping.

Visit Moon Wind Trading Co. at
1141B Old Woman Springs Rd
Yucca Valley, CA 92284

Discover more from Moon Wind Trading Co. at their online boutique moonwindtradingco.com or via their social channels below.

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Photos: supplied

Photo location: Hi Lo Homestead Art Park

*This content is sponsored by Moon Wind Trading Co.