By Amy Eddings
Note: Ada chamber members held a "broom presentation" last week to the owners of Crafted by Us.
The "us" in Crafted by Us at 117 S. Main St., the newest business to open in Ada's historic downtown, is a trio of creative women: Terry Sayre, 48, and her daughters Brittany Galens, 28, and Marquita Metzger, 19.
"We all just wanted a store," said Sayre, "We just never had one."
The threesome, from Holland, a village west of Toledo, said they've talked for years of having a place to display and sell their handiwork.
Terry paints and loves to re-purpose flea market finds.
"She's the one who can see everything for something else," said Marquita of her mom. "She looks at something and can see all the things the parts can make."
Brittany's strength is knitting. She said she sold her products on Etsy.com before she became pregnant with the first of her two children. On display at the store were several scarves, including a $20 tan-and-gold chunky buttoned mini-scarf that I tried on despite the warm, muggy weather outside. Charmed, I bought it on the spot. Brittany also knits thick, webby covers for poufs, perfect for rec room or dorm lounging.
Marquita loves to paint and sold her first piece at 16. She chalk paints furniture, creates artwork out of pallet wood and will do a portrait of your pet. She paints murals, too. At the store, on the north wall, Marquita painted a stand of white birch trunks flecked with black. On a south wall in the back, she painted the large head of a wolf, its nose pointed upward, howling.
The opportunity to open the long-dreamed-of shop came a few months ago, when the newly-married Marquita and her husband Sam decided to relocate so that he could attend engineering classes at The Ohio State University's Lima campus.
"My parents have a family friend who lives down here and they've passed through Ada on their way down," she explained. "Mom was like, 'Move to Ada, it's cute!'"
The Metzgers found a second-floor apartment over the store next door.
"I'm excited, because I've always wanted to live above a storefront!" said Marquita. Within a week of moving in, she noticed that the retail space at 117 S. Main St. was available.
"It's very convenient," she said of her work/life arrangement. "I just come downstairs!"
Mom Terry and sister Brittany have a longer commute. They both still live in Holland, but Terry said her living situation may soon change. Her husband has a new job with Procter and Gamble in Lima. He currently judges show chickens -- "He's doing the county fairs now," said Marquita -- and is a third-generation trainer of Thoroughbred race horses.
"From 13 to 15, we traveled with the racetracks and lived in hotels," said Marquita. She brightened at the memory.
That sounds like good stuff for a memoir, I said.
And it may happen one day, given this family's artistic talents. For now, their goal for Crafted By Us is to showcase and sell their work and hold classes to encourage others to get crafty.
"To look outside the box," said Terry.
"To help them to see different things," said Marquita.
"To be there for them in all creative outlets, " said Brittany, "I don't think there's one we don't cover."
