Want something to crow about? Just
head east on Route 20, past the state police barracks, to Allen’s Lake
Road. There you’ll find an old renovated barn, filled to the rafters
with handmade furniture and folk art crafts, a few dozen crows, a
Christmas section and lots of country pottery. Welcome to the Butternut Barn’s 31st season. Owner Judie Stone promises it will only get better as the year progresses. Stepping
through the old wooden door that sticks a bit when it rains will lead
you into a large area filled with dried flowers, old metal advertising
signs, antique food containers and even a pair of old leather ladies
lace up boots. Sorry, but those things aren’t for sale. Don’t
fret, for you’ll soon discover as your eyes grow accustomed to the low
lighting, with the soft sounds of a hammer dulcimer playing in the
background, there are plenty of other treasures to be scooped up – all
at pretty reasonable prices. Scattered throughout the two story
barn are hand carved, hand stitched, hand painted and hand woven crafts
and furniture mostly created by Stone, her daughter, Kelly, and
son-in-law Patrick Hopper. “We started out in half the upstairs,
in the little rooms on the end,” she said, reminiscing with a bright
smile. “Then we expanded to the hay loft; we even had to clean all that
hay out. We made that the Christmas area.” She and her husband,
Bruce, moved to Richfield Springs from the valley back in 1969, where
they raised their three children, Kelly, Jeff and Randy. In 1977, after
holding down three jobs as secretary, adult education director and real
estate agent, Stone decided to heed her friends’ urging. “‘You should
open a shop. You should open a shop,’ they kept telling me. So I did,”
Stone said. It was a successful venture then and continues to
be successful. What’s the secret? “The barn lends itself to what type
of products we offer. We couldn’t have cut glass in here. That and my
personal tastes,” she said. Things change over the years, as
people’s tastes change. “There are things that were in style then that
just aren’t in style anymore,” she explained. One thing that
remains to be a favorite among customers is the hand crafted, one of a
kind, specially designed pieces of furniture created by the team made
up of Stone, her daughter and son-in-law. “I sketch out the furniture
how I want it. Patrick does the woodworking. I do the painting and
Kelly puts the final finish on them,” Stone said. “She used to make the
game boards, too, but I took those over.” Stone also makes the pillows and hand stitched wall hangings scattered around the shop. The
furniture is custom made per order, but Stone noted that they
specialize in accommodating people’s needs so the designs can vary
based on what people want. Since people are willing to drive out
of their way to come to her shop, they work hard at making the shopping
experience something different, hence the specially ordered furniture. She
doesn’t have a favorite piece or line of products, although the new tin
lamps are something she’s pleased to carry this year. “The
crows,” she said with a smile. “I really like the crows. A lot of
people don’t like crows in real life. But I do. They warn the other
animals. And some people do like them and like to collect them,” she
noted. Having the shop fits her lifestyle as well. Little signs
telling people wait and someone will be with them momentarily, or to
“honk” if no one comes, make this the perfect business venture for
Stone, even after all these years. “I can be in the house and if
someone comes a bell rings in the house. Or if I’m in the back
gardening, I can hear their horn. I can be raking or gardening, and do
other things besides work in the shop,” she said. “It’s great.” The shop is open from April to December, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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