Majestic Meadows combines animal encounters with boutique retail finds for a one-of-a-kind farm experience.As visitors arrive at Majestic Meadows Alpacas & Boutique in Medina, Ohio, it initially seems like many other
Midwestern farms — there are lush green pasturelands, some barn-like structures and occasional bleating sounds of sheep or goats in the distance. But as visitors begin either a private animal encounter or a self-guided tour, they often recognize that this destination is not your average farm.
On self-guided tours, visitors get up close and personal with many creatures: alpacas, of course, but also llamas, sheep, goats, mini horses, mini donkeys, mini cows, rabbits and even camels, kangaroos and wallabies. For visitors who want one-on-one time with animals, they can sign up for an encounter with an Asian small-clawed otter, capybara, sulcata tortoise, prehensile-tailed porcupine, South American coatimundis, skunk, three-banded armadillo and two-toed sloth.
Guests quickly fall in love as the animals approach them for a pet or a treat, provided by the farm. Store Manager Rachel Mizer says Majestic Meadows visitors get much closer to animals than they might at a zoo or even some other farms.
“The owners started with just alpacas, so alpacas are always at the heart of everything they do here at the farm,” she explains. “But the farm has grown to be a place where families can come and meet animals and make memories together. It’s a hands-on experience where people can connect with animals.”
Expanding experiencesMajestic Meadows debuted as a hands-on farm destination in 2018, but owners Jeff and Faye Farley have been caring for alpacas for many years.
 Many souvenirs at Majestic Meadows are made of alpaca fur, including colorful gloves. Photos: Karen Carr
As more families and school groups started visiting the farm, Farley says she saw the value in providing people with animal encounters.
“What really got us interested in non-farm animals was seeing how powerful animal interactions could be for other people,” says Farley. “People were naturally drawn to unique animals and loved learning about species they would probably never have the opportunity to see up close otherwise.”
While adding over a dozen new species was a learning curve, Farley says she and her husband have spent a lot of time researching each animal’s needs, from nutrition to enrichment, veterinary care and habitat design.
Their countless hours of research on different species paid off — Mizer says the attraction generally draws 500 to 1,300 people per day during peak season from May to August, with quite a few people coming daily in the off season as well.
The boom in visitation prompted Majestic Meadows to open a second gift shop on-site. Today, the farm features its boutique filled with alpaca fur finds and a general gift shop with something for everyone.
Memorable merchandisingMajestic Meadows’ two shops are relatively small but offer a curated mix of merchandise specific to each store.
Mizer says the focus in the gift shop is souvenirs and kids’ items. The general gift shop, which opened in 2020, could easily make a kid smile with the farm-themed toys and plush.
Adults can find a souvenir T-shirt along a back wall, with several designs displayed on slat wall. Another wall features dozens of alpaca fur socks. The store also features mugs, drinkware, tea towels, caps, magnets and just about any other souvenir guests might want.
Just steps away from the gift shop is another building that houses the boutique. The two-story boutique is small but cozy, dedicated to carrying a curated assortment of all-things alpaca.
On the first floor, guests can find hats, dryer balls, and alpaca plush all made from alpaca fur as well as the alpaca-themed home decor and jewelry. The upstairs floor gives off a “grandma’s attic” vibe with alpaca-fur apparel and accessories scattered about on hardwood fixtures.
Farley adds that she started the boutique to give her guests a memorable shopping experience to end their visit.
“We wanted to offer guests a unique shopping experience that felt warm, inviting and different from a traditional store,” she says. “The word ‘boutique’ reflected the atmosphere we hoped to create, which was more specialty gifts, alpaca apparel, home decor, handmade items and carefully selected products that fit the charm and experience of the farm.”
Favorite farm finds With a focus on alpacas, alpaca plush made from alpaca fur is consistently a top seller at Majestic Meadows. Mizer turns to DebrAnn Weiss & Co. for alpaca-fur plush, including plush alpacas, donkeys, goats, capybara and bears.
“A lot of times, parents want their kids to remember that they came to an alpaca farm, so buying a stuffed animal made of alpaca fur does it for them,” says Mizer.
 One aisle in the gift shop is full of plush, books and toys, while another aisle showcases souvenir apparel.
“It’s hard to find product for the coatimundis, but we have a stuffed animal of them that we get from Zoologee,” she says.
Mizer has also noticed interest in 3D-printed animal figurines, so she has added some new Pocket Pets from R-Biz Associates that have been fun fidget souvenirs at the gift shop.
Since a capybara is a popular animal on-site, anything related to the capybara is also sure to sell at Majestic Meadows.
“Capybaras are still trending hard,” she notes. “We sell a lot of capybara slippers. And then Jelly Gems, essentially squish toys in the shape of a capybara, have been selling.”
Intentional planningWith a very busy peak season in the summertime and a lean gift shop staff, Mizer says she often tries to do all her buying for the stores in the off season. “When it’s really busy, there’s not much you can do besides customer service,” she says. “We try to do a lot of purchasing in the slower months so that when we’re busy we don’t have to worry as much. We have a storage room where we put everything.”
 The boutique offers many animal-themed home decor pieces like souvenir stickers.
“We had a lot of people wanting a picture of our animals on crew necks, so we got those developed,” she says.
Faye notes that she and Jeff are always exploring the possibility of bringing new animals to Majestic Meadows.
“We also believe growth should happen thoughtfully and responsibly,” she adds. “We will likely continue evolving over time while making sure animal welfare remains the top priority.”
Equally important to the Farleys is continuing to offer a warm, welcoming shopping environment. As retail opportunities grow, Faye says they plan to do so thoughtfully.
“Many visitors tell us they come for the animals but end up spending just as much time enjoying the shopping experience,” says Faye. “Guests love that the boutique feels unique and personal, with gifts, alpaca products, home decor and items that reflect the warmth and charm of the farm itself.” |
