THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603070246
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Crafter's Gallery is pleasant.
By 1990s standards, that may not be a ``powerhouse'' description that advertisers would choose to lure in consumers.
But ask any shopper: After sale prices, nothing is more welcome in this busy day and age than something pleasant.
And Crafter's Gallery spreads the pleasantness over 4,200 square feet. Imagine that.
You can walk into the shop that features the work of more than 100 artists and wander alone. The space is not overwhelming, because the individual booth displays give the gallery an intimate feel.
Each display is unique. Owner Helen Jones says gallery staff carefully choose who is invited to display to maintain variety and quality.
Even the store policy is pleasant. Jones accepts no commission. Crafters rent their space by the month. She takes care of all advertising, tracks all sales through the computer and provides the crafters with a monthly report. All state and local taxes are paid by the shop.
Jones is pleasant, too. If you had to hand-pick someone to sell your wares, Jones, with her upbeat personality, would be the one. That's a real plus for artists who have no desire or ability to market their work.
And Jones does not play favorites; she'll stock crafts even if they are not her personal taste. Jones is client-friendly. She offers suggestions to help artists sell.
In her monthly ``love'' letters to each crafter, she'll mention current trends that she thinks might benefit them. She likes when she can include a check.
``For some, another $40 means nothing,'' she said. ``For others, it could mean paying the rent.''
Last but not least, the prices are pleasant. They range from a little more than a dollar on up, and there's no quality compromise. It's the perfect place to teach children how to shop for gifts.
You can walk into Crafter's Gallery and leave with anything from a jar of relish to an intricately painted gourd, a handmade doll, a cloth basket or a mosaic candle holder.
The creative spirit blooms in this rigidity-free atmosphere. Even within the individual displays, there is variety. Some multi-talented artists show several media. Jones has witnessed the personal growth of many crafters since her shop opened four years ago.
It was her husband, Gordon, who suggested opening the gallery. She wasn't too keen on the idea, but he told her, ``We'll hire somebody to do the gallery. Just come with me to a large craft show.''
Jones said she was thinking that a craft gallery would not be ``successful, fun, creative or anything.''
``Then I got excited after the craft show,'' she said. Inch by inch, Gordon faded out of the management picture. ``It suddenly became my store,'' Jones said. ``He's very clever.''
Last year, Crafter's Gallery was selected as a finalist for the Hutchins Allen and Co. Annual Small Business of the Year Award. With hundreds of entrants, Jones never thought she would be selected.
It was pleasant. Actually, it was much more than pleasant - as are Crafter's Gallery and Helen Jones. MEMO: Crafter's Gallery is located on the Bypass in Kitty Hawk. For more
information, call 261-3036. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY ELLEN RIDDLE
At Helen Jones' Crafter's Gallery you can byt anything from a jar of
relish to an intricately painted gourd.
by CNB