And it was GRAND indeed!

The parking lot was filled to capacity and the front desk busy every moment! It was the Lost River Artisans Co-op’s GRAND re-opening after moving. There were outdoor vendors, despite the chilly dampness, and the Chamber of Commerce officiated at our ribbon cutting with the lovely  Jordan Robinson (who we hope will be the next Miss West Virginia). And I just happened to wear purple that matched the big wide ribbon-- truly a wonder! The food was a hit, the kettle corn yummy. On top of all that, we learned a lot about what works and doesn’t in our new space!

You’ve heard about the move before, and the amazing community participation it involved. It really does take a village, but it works the same way when we are scattered around the beautiful rural countryside! Members and volunteers worked incredibly hard to make the opening a huge success. People donated wonderful raffle prizes and the museum continues to be ever more interesting. With the co-op adjacent to the museum now, people wander from one into the other. Local people point out their homes in old photos, or tell stories about ancestors or farming practices prompted by the artifacts. What a rich culture Appalachia has, to say nothing of this little corner of West Virginia and the Lost River Valley! People even share stories about our 60 year old “big red building,” in which their fathers or uncles worked during its former lives as a sink factory and a feed store.

Our display men, Albert Hutchings, and co-op member John Geiger (who goes through life moving things around to make everything more beautiful) have truly worked their magic on the place. The co-op has 44 talented, juried-in members now, so we have an incredibly diverse and creative wealth of great items with an emphasis on the heritage arts.  People made signs for along the road, and put out traffic cones to slow down traffic. Julia Flanagan, the only octogenarian I know who introduces herself as a stripper and a hooker, demonstrated her hooked rugs. Tom Reid, our other demonstrator, showed us how he puts together intricate stained glass pieces. It was indeed a great grand opening! Come on by! (See more at Lostrivercrafts.com and you can also follow us on our Facebook page. So go ahead and give us a like.)

Open co-op!

The Lost River Artisans Co-op and Museum spent the winter moving—and no small task that was! Their new space is a 60-year old building that once housed a marble sink factory and then became a feed store. After being empty for years, the co-op and museum have rented the center section and worked very hard to make it functional, beautiful AND ADA-compliant! The square footage is the same as we had in the old barn, but we now have amenities that old barns do not. YEA! We opened the weekend of April 16, and will be open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 AM until 5 PM, until December.

April 30^th is our GRAND re-Opening! We remain the same co-op and museum we have been since 1996. (The co-op itself actually goes back to 1988.) We’ve simply moved 1.8 miles south along WV State Route 259. The new street address is 8937. There is a big re-Opening sign out front, and it’s a big red building. Outdoor vendor spaces are available for the 30^th at $15; call 304-897-5250 to sign up. (Vendors keep all additional monies.) There are great raffle prizes, a ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce, and great events and fun planned all day—from 10 until 5 PM. Come on out on April 30^th and help us celebrate our new space!