NEWS

Sew Much More and Gifts Galore opening in city

Jessica Denton
Reporter

PORT CLINTON – A new consignment shop is sewing its way into the community — using needle, thread and a whole lot of enthusiasm.

Sew Much More and Gifts Galore is opening next month at 124 W. Second St. in the old Second Street Gallery location, between Coffee Express and The End Zone.

JoEllen Kaiser looks over a wedding dress for a potential customer at the Sew Much More shop on W. Second St. on Thursday afternoon. The sewing and cosignment gift shop will open on April 1 and offer handsewn items, homemade baby items, soy candles, alterations, customized items and sewing machine repair.

It will feature sewing lessons for children and adults; mending and repair services; sewing machine repair services; handmade items such as blankets, towels, sweaters and shirts; and customized items from local seamstresses.

Laurie Taylor, who works full-time as housekeeper and nanny in Sandusky, has been sewing out of her Port Clinton home for the last nine years. She and her friend, JoEllen Kaiser, were hard at work on Thursday compiling a to-do list for their new shop.

The store came about during one of the many dinners Taylor and Kaiser hold with about 10 other sewers, including Janet Barcus, Mamie "Stix" Rollins, Jackie Chasteen, Kay Williams and Mary Bailey.

"It just makes sense for us to go into business doing something we love to do, this area needs it," Taylor said.

The duo will have 10 vendors in the old Second Street Gallery location, with four as the base vendors and another six cosigners who can rotate. They're looking for more vendors to join them before they open April 1.

Kaiser, who lives in Oak Harbor, said the group often pulls together to work on projects, and they encourage one another to try new things in their skill.

"You'll start on something that's good and after everyone's input it will be something great," Kaiser said.

The focus for the store will be on handcrafted, unique items that can pass through generations, the ladies said. They will offer custom orders such as baby blankets, hats, shirts, sweaters and memorial blankets using clothing from those who have passed away to comfort their families.

Laurie Taylor, JoEllen Kaiser and a group of sewers from Ottawa County are opening a consignment shop called Sew Much More and Gifts Galore at 124 W. Second St. in downtown Port Clinton in April.

"We don't buy anything we can't make ourselves," Kaiser said.

Deana Kaufman, from Port Clinton, who has been selling handmade baby and toddler tutus and headbands, is the store's first vendor.

"I'm super excited, I'm estatic," Kaufman said Thursday of joining Kaiser and Taylor. "I get butterflies in my stomach every night thinking about it."

Kaufman introduced Kaiser and Taylor to her friend Ashley Dunis from Berlin Heights, who will be selling homemade soy-based candles and wax melts, lotions and soaps at the store next month.

Kaufman also will help the ladies organize a Facebook page and reach potential customers through social media.

"She's very good at that kind of stuff, it's great," Taylor said. "We're old school and we know it's important to be online. We've gotten so many comments on Facebook from people who are excited we're opening up."

Taylor's friend Tim Hofacker, who works full-time for U.S. Gypsum, will service sewing machines for customers at reasonable prices for the ladies and customers who want to get their machines running again, Taylor said.

"I took my old machine to a shop elsewhere to be fixed and they said it would be $500. I gave it to Tim and he had it fixed in less than an hour," Taylor said. "You just can't beat that."

Taylor lives on Third Street and looks forward to walking to the shop in the summer and hopes the store can capitalize on the traffic from the post office and Coffee Express, as well as other local businesses.

"My husband jokes the inside of our house looks like a JoAnn Fabrics store," Kaiser said. "So he'll be happy I can move things over here."

"My husband says he hears my sewing machines in his sleep," Taylor added.

Janet Barcus said Taylor always keeps the group busy with project and looks forward to opening the shop in just a few weeks.

"She's very good at this, very organized," Barcus said. "She's always got something for us to do. I think it's going to go well."

The women said they want to host sewing classes to introduce children and teenagers to sewing, as well as adults to the valuable skill.

"I've been sewing since I could reach the pedal," Kaiser said. "I've never stopped."

"It's a skill you can use your entire life," Taylor said.

jdenton@gannett.com

419-734-7506

Twitter: @jessicadentonNH

To join Sew Much More and Gifts Galore, please call Laurie Taylor at (419)573-2536.

Sew Much More and Gifts Galore is a new consignment shop opening in April at 124 W. Second St. in downtown Port Clinton.