Shoppe Hop
I do so enjoy a “Shoppe Hop”.A Shoppe Hop, for me, is driving to a town full of little stores and possibilities, parking the wheels, walking from one end to the other, and stopping in every interesting place I can find.
The gear required for this activity includes, but is not limited to comfy clothes, tennis shoes, and a camera. My trusty black leather backpack is full of everything this shoppe hopper needs like gum, lipstick, a small notebook and my favorite gel pen for jotting down ideas and store names, and I don’t leave home without coffee money.
I’m often not shopping for anything in particular. For me, it’s about the experience and the discovery of something new. You see, I have an addiction of sorts, an addition to creativity and meeting creative people. Hopping from shoppe to shoppe satisfies my cravings for both. The only other requirement for a good shoppe hopping experience would be to just be open and not have an agenda. Just be ready to see and be blessed by what has resulted from the creative inspiration of others.
My husband and I are on our 5th week of living in a very rural part of Pennsylvania during the week and traveling home for weekends in Western New York. This week, instead of following him in my car to check in to our hotel on Sunday night, I decided to leave on Monday morning and take a long, quiet drive and just be there when Hubby arrived at our hotel home after work that evening. This plan provided the perfect opportunity to explore.
There is a lovely little town along the way that is a prime shoppe hopping candidate. So, all geared up, I parked and began my walk. Even the gentle rain that fell was not a deterrent from my mission. I only needed to add a trusty umbrella to my gear.
Ducking into several places where the works of gifted hands were on display was a wonderful experience, but tucked back in an alley, something caught my eye. The bright yellow of the painted frame of the welcoming sign that said OPEN drew me in and I was like a moth to a flame when I realized that sign was attached to an old detailed wooden door that was brought out to the curb as a quaint, come on in, invitation.
Bits of architectural salvage, some old windows brilliantly used as accents on the front porch, and old wooden corbels with chippy paint greeted me as I walked to the front door where I entered and was greeted by Nancy and her sweet smile. That smile told me she was genuinely glad that I chose to come in to her store this day. The scent of autumn and orange along with the large branch that extended floor to ceiling in the middle of the store that artistically held treasures and lots of eye candy to behold made me want to hang here for a while.
All of my senses were stirring up creativity. I found myself being inspired and breaking down what they had done and applying it in my mind's eye to my own creative pursuits. The juxtaposition of the old and salvaged to the garden influences with a little sleek and modern mixed in was generating one idea after another. I knew my little notebook would be full as I would sit in the car sketching and writing notes after this visit.
While chatting with Nancy, we exchanged stories, some current goings on, and even a personal struggle or two. Funny how that seems to just happen on these hops. I thanked her for creating such a lovely retreat and she said she wanted to give me something. She handed me a votive of that sweet smelling candle I’d been enjoying during our visit.
Store owners, how do you leave your customers? How do you leave the ones that didn’t even spend a dime?
I was left full. Full of surroundings that inspired, of prayers for a new found friend, and of blessings I received on one shoppe stop; a memory that will be conjured up every time I smell autumn and orange.
I am now considering myself a regular customer of this little Shoppe. Nancy invested in me and I’ll be back when I need a gift or something for my home.
Blessings,
Tina