Bluffton’s Ten Thousand Villages store, 115 S Main St., is preparing for its biggest sale of the year--to be held November 12 and 13--and is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the fair trade movement. World Fair Trade sales have grown ten-fold from 2004 to 2018 ($.83 to $9.8 billion euros), but the movement's start was on the smallest of scales.
Jenny Frankart admired spoon rings and had watched an artisan at the Tiffin Flea Market make rings. Instead of going shopping, she ordered a ring making vise from Ukraine and waited six month for it to come to rural Bluffton. Her father-in-law modified it to work with flatware. That was in 2013.
Amy Groves, VP, Senior Credit Officer at The First National Bank of Pandora, recently graduated from the 2021 OBL Bank Management School sponsored by the Ohio Bankers League. Groves was one of 34 students who completed the intensive one-week program in early October.
The Et Cetera Shop, 327 N Main St, is one of fifteen downtown merchants participating in the annual Downtown Christmas Open House on November 5 and 6.
The thrift store is having a wreath sale: all wreaths will be half price. Other Christmas stock includes fabric, gift bags, greeting cards, wrapping paper, tinsel, knickknacks, garlands, baubles and trees.
Et Cetera Shop supports the relief, development and peace work of the Mennonite Central Committee. The organization’s motto is “where every purchase is a gift to the world!”
From noon to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, Blended Roots, 246 Cherry St., is holding a “Make Your Own Candle” workshop with shaved wax. The project is like sand art but with scented and colored wax. Participants choose any combination they want.
Store manager Julia Keiser notes that candle making is perfect for young kids and adults. Prices are based on the size of candle you make.
The shop featuring art and crafts made by local artisans is open 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, and Friday; from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 Saturday, and from noon - 4:00 p.m. Sunday.
On Friday and Saturday, October 29-30, Book ReViews is having a sale on Suspense novels to get readers in the Halloween mood. Shoppers can stock up on spooky reads for 50 cents each. New titles were put out on the sales floor just in time for this sale.
The shop at 123 S. Main Street, Bluffton, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Book ReViews is a MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) thrift shop, “Where every purchase is a gift to the world.”
